Four's Company
by Lalaith Rana
Summary: Lalaith is the daughter of Galadriel who has been gone for over 50 years exploring a life other than what tradition expects. When she joins some members of the Fellowship new adventures will befall her.
1. Lalaith Rana

**Four's Company**

**By Elerrina**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Lord of the Rings. I give complete credit to the author and creator, J. R. R. Tolkien, and also to the writers of the screenplay, for I am taking most of this straight from the script.

**  
Chapter 1: Lalaith Rana**

An elf maiden watched as a man, a dwarf, and an elf dashed across the plain to a group of large rocks for cover, wearing the cloaks of her people. For some odd reason, she felt the need to help them on their quest.

She watched as Riders of Rohan came galloping down a hill, armed and ready to fight.

The man, she recognized him as Aragorn, son of Arathorn, for she had seen him before, stepped out from the rocks followed by his companions.

She quickly ducked behind a bush. Even though her cloak would hide her from their sight it would not guarantee that the elf would not notice her.

"Riders of Rohan! What news from the mark?" he shouted after them as they passed unseeing.

At a signal from their leader they wheeled their horses around and surrounded the three strangers. As one they lowered their spears threateningly.

"What business does an elf, a man, and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly," the leader ordered.

"Give me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine," the dwarf told him stubbornly, whether it was out of bravery or idiocy, or both, the elf would never know.

"I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground," he said, dismounting and advancing on them.

The elf quickly removed an arrow from his quiver and fitted it to his bow as fast as lightning. "You would die before your stroke fell."

The riders closed in tighter around them, leaving no means for their escape.

"You would be wise to lower your weapons," the elf maiden said calmly, stepping forward and lowering the hood of her elven cloak.

"Is this another member of your party? Why would you endanger a woman?"

"I do not travel with them," she stated, but her words went unheard.

"Where there is one elf, my lord, there are usually more. They surely would not allow a maiden to travel by herself, especially in these perilous days," one of the riders whispered. The maiden's elven ears caught every word as she slowly walked forward to stand on the outside of the ring of horsemen.

"Lower your spears," the leader commanded. "We will not harm you. We wish only to know who you are and why you are crossing our land."

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Gloin, and Legolas, from the Woodland realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your King."

"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe," Éomer informed them, taking his helmet off and revealing his true identity. "Not even his own kin. Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claims lordship over this land. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished. The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked. And everywhere his spies slip past our nets." The disgust at Saruman and the annoyance at himself for not being able to capture the spies was apparent in his voice.

"We are no spies. We track a band of Uruk-Hai westward across the plains. They have taken two of our friends captive," Aragorn explained.

"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night."

"But there were two hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli asked, alarmed that Merry and Pippin may have been killed despite Legolas, Aragorn and his attempt to rescue them.

"They would be small. Only children to your eyes," Aragorn added.

"We left none alive," Éomer told them regretfully. "We piled the carcasses and burned them."

"Then they are dead?" Gimli murmured disbelievingly.

"I am sorry." Éomer whistled. "Hasufel, Arod, Elerrina. May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Search for your friends, but do not trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands. We ride north!" he shouted to his people.

The riders turned back to their original course and swiftly rode north.

"Dwarves don't ride," Gimli pointed out. "We are grounded, and like having both feet firmly planted on solid earth. Anyway," he muttered, embarrassed, "I've never ridden before. I would fall off."

"You may ride with me," Legolas offered.

"But what of the other horse? The Rohirrim would not like it if we left one of their best horses in the wild," Aragorn said.

"I will take one," Lalaith told them, drawing attention back to her.

"Who are you, and where is the rest of your company?" Aragorn inquired as she walked over to them.

"Do you not recognize me, Aragorn? I suppose that quite a lot of time has passed since we last met, I certainly look different."

"Should I recognize you?"

"We have met once before. My name is Lalaith."

"Answer his question. Where are the others? I am sure that they would not let you wander alone in these wild lands," Legolas pointed out.

"I travel with no one," Lalaith answered in her calm voice, used to being interrogated.

"Lalaith," Aragorn murmured, trying to remember, and then recognition flashed in his eyes. "But you—"

"No," she interrupted. "He would not approve," the elf said with a glance at Legolas. "I could help you, Aragorn. I am skilled with weapons and I know these lands. I have traveled them for many years."

"You do not know the peril into which we are headed," Legolas said, trying to discourage the maiden.

"You are, or were, on a quest to destroy the One Ring of Power. You lost Gandalf in Moria, and Boromir fell on Amon Hen trying to protect the two hobbits of which you track now."

"How do you know this? How can we trust you?" Legolas interrogated, not liking the fact that she knew so much that no one other than those who attended the council were supposed to know.

"You question me? I have given you no reason for you to not trust me. What is your name?"

"I am Prince Legolas Thrandulion, of Mirkwood. Where are you from? Answer me this. I have heard of someone, the daughter of Galadriel, a great warrior who also shows unparalleled beauty. You are not she."

Her hair was a matted mess; Legolas could barely tell that she was blonde. Her clothes were covered in mud and dust. The only extraordinary feature he could see was her eyes. They were a sea of colors rolled into one: blue, green, brown, and grey.

"You expect me to remain beautiful after years of traveling in the wild? I am from Lothlorien. My parents are Galadriel and Celeborn, the Lord and Lady of the Wood."

"They would not allow you to wander. We have met them, and they did not speak of you." He paused, waiting for her to answer. "Aragorn, is this true?"

"Yes, Legolas. It is. The reason her parents do not speak of her is because they have had no news from her except what songs and legends bring. It has been long since she has returned to the Wood. They believe that she has traveled to the Grey Havens or died unknown to the world."

"How did you meet her?" Legolas wondered.

"She is Arwen's aunt. I met her when she traveled to Rivendell fifty… sixty years ago. Things truly have changed then. You always dreamed of adventuring, I see that has not diminished. I believe that I also saw you tracking Gollum."

"Yes. I did not trust the look of him. He seemed to be slinking around muttering to himself. I followed him for a few days but he did nothing wrong so I continued on my way."

"You found him when my people could not."

"Your people could easily have captured him, if only they would have followed him out of your woods."

"My people do not leave the woods unless they have orders from my father. By the time they received the order, Gollum's track was a week old," Legolas defended his people.

"I do not blame you, or the people of Mirkwood." She sighed, tired of debating. "May I suggest that we be leaving soon? The Uruk-Hai have been killed, but if your friends escaped, there are more dangerous things to be reckoned with, if come across. If they escaped into Fangorn… the ents are not welcoming to people, or things, they know not of."

"Yes. I believe that we should discuss this later, but for now, let us make haste. Merry and Pippin may still be alive," Aragorn agreed.

They rode with all haste they could muster. When they arrived at the smoldering pile of bodies, they dismounted.

Lalaith couldn't help but look at the Uruk head on the spear, it's tongue hanging out of it's mouth, while Gimli started pushing aside bits of the carcasses looking for a sign of the hobbits. Unfortunately, he found something.

"It's one of their wee belts."

"Hiro hyn hîdh ab 'wanath," Legolas and Lalaith murmured together, an elven prayer. (May they find peace after death.)

"AHHH!" Aragorn bellowed, kicking an orc helmet with all his strength before falling to his knees, his head bent to the ground.

"We failed them," Gimli said, holding his head in his hands.

Aragorn lifted his head and looked over to the right, hope came to his eyes. "A hobbit lay here," he said, moving over and touching the ground. "And the other… They crawled… Their hands were bound."

The other three of them were following him now around the plain, hoping beyond hope that the hobbits could still be alive.

"Their bounds were cut. They ran over here," he told them, following the hobbits movements, "They were followed. Their tracks lead away from the battle… into Fangorn Forest."

"Fangorn? What madness drew them there?" Gimli asked, nearly as frightened now as he was before because he knew that they would follow the hobbits into the forest.

"If you were caught between an evil forest and a company of Uruk-Hai and other orcs, all being slaughtered by strange men, where would you choose to go?" she pointed out.

"True."

The now four hunters followed the tracks into the forest.

Gimli saw something black on one of the leaves and tasted it. "Orc blood," he observed, trying, and not succeeding, to spit it out. "The air is so close here."

"This forest is old. So old that it almost makes me feel young again. Full of memories… and anger. The trees are speaking to each other," Legolas pointed out.

"Gimli!" Aragorn exclaimed quietly, noticing that he had raised his axe when Legolas has said that they were speaking.

Gimli raised his eyebrows questioningly, completely oblivious.

"Lower your axe," Aragorn ordered gesturing with his hands.

"Oh." He lowered the axe so it hung at his side, but he refused to put it in his belt.

"They have feelings, my friend. The elves began it, waking up the trees, teaching them to speak."

"Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about other than the consistency of squirrel droppings?" Gimli muttered.

"These are strange tracks. I have never seen any like it before."

"They are the tracks of an Ent. A rather large one by the looks of it," Lalaith told him.

"How do you know this?" Legolas wanted to know.

"I have been in this forest before. I have met Fangorn, the oldest of the Ents. He is strong, but he distrusts anyone new that comes into the forest, for Saruman has started using these trees to fire his weapon making."

"What would he do to them?" Gimli asked, referring to Fangorn and the hobbits.

"I am not sure. He is not hasty, no ent is, I think he would probably take them to see the White Wizard."

"The… the White Wizard?" Gimli stuttered.

"Of course. They have been friends for a time longer than you know. He owns more knowledge than Fangorn, so Fangorn trusts him," Lalaith explained.

"Then we must rescue them!" Gimli told them.

"Rescue them? The White Wizard will not harm them," she said.

"Have you not heard? The White Wizard has betrayed us. He works for Sauron now. He ordered their capture in the first place!" Legolas informed her.

"I met him only a few days ago and he seemed to be on your side then. He was searching for the hobbits himself and explained to me your quest."

That makes no sense, Legolas thought. The White Wizard… Saruman refers to himself as 'Many Colored' now. Could it be…? She also said that the Ents knew that Saruman was cutting down the forest.

They rested in the forest that night, keeping a watch. Before dawn Legolas woke them.

"Nad no ennas!" (Something is out there.)

"Man cenich?" Aragorn asked anxiously. (What do you see?)

"The White Wizard approaches," he whispered.

"Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us. We must be quick," Aragorn said quietly.

The three hunters drew their weapons, facing away from the direction Legolas had indicated. Lalaith did nothing, knowing what was to happen.

With a yell, the three of them turned around and attacked. A blinding white light emanated from the wizard. Gimli's throwing axe and Legolas' arrow flew back at them, and before Aragorn could attack, his sword turned red-hot and he threw it down.

"You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits," the wizard observed in a strange voice.

"Where are they?" Aragorn demanded.

"They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect," he said mysteriously. "Does that comfort you?"

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Aragorn ordered, noticing that the voice was not that of Saruman.

The light dimmed, and Gandalf stepped forward, dressed in white. She almost laughed, as is her name, but stopped herself. She had known all along that it had been Gandalf, not Saruman as the others had suspected.

"This cannot be."

"Forgive me. I mistook you for Saruman," Legolas requested.

"I am Saruman. Or rather, Saruman as he should have been, had he not fallen to evil."

"You fell," Aragorn told him, as if Gandalf were a ghost.

"Through fire and water," Gandalf acknowledged. "From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead and each day was as long as a life age of the earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I've been sent back until my task is done."

"Gandalf," Aragorn whispered.

"Gandalf? Oh yes. That is what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name."

"Gandalf," Gimli echoed.

"I am Gandalf the White now. And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide."

The five of them turned and walked back out of the forest.

"One stage of your journey is over. Another begins. War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed," Gandalf instructed.

"Edoras? That is no short distance," Gimli observed.

"We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king."

"Yes, and it will not be easily cured. It will take much of my power."

"Then we have come all this way for nothing? We are to leave the hobbits here in this horrid, dark, dank, tree-infested—" The trees began to groan, speaking angrily to each other again. "I mean, charming, quite charming, forest?"

Lalaith laughed quietly.

"It was more than chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. Merry and Pippin will be like the small rocks that start an avalanche on the mountain."

"I see that one thing has not changed, my friend," Aragorn said to Gandalf. "You still speak in riddles."

"A thing is going to happen that has not happened since the elder days. The Ents are going to wake up… and find that they are strong."

"Strong?" Gimli exclaimed, and upon hearing the trees begin to rustle quickly added, "Oh, that's good."

"So stop your fretting, Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe. Safer than you are about to be."

"Wonderful. The new Gandalf is more grumpy than the old one," Gimli murmured to himself.

Once outside the forest, Gandalf whistled piercingly, and a beautiful white stallion galloped to him.

"That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell," Legolas observed.

"Shadowfax," Gandalf informed them. "He's the lord of all horse and he has been my friend through many dangers." The other horses followed Shadowfax up to Gandalf.

The five of them mounted up and started riding back through Rohan, heading towards Edoras, the Rohan capital.

"You knew all along, didn't you?" Legolas asked, falling back to ride beside Lalaith.

"Yes, and you suspected. I never told you that it was Saruman."

"But you implied. You knew what we suspected, and did not correct us."

"What would be the fun of that?" she laughed. "I dropped enough hints, I thought if you were smart enough, you could figure it out. I needed a laugh after where I have traveled alone."

"You live up to your name, my lady. I admit, it is nice to have another elf with us, but I will not allow you to leave Edoras with us."

"You cannot stop me. Please, do not make me stay there or go home. I enjoy travel."

"But you are a lady. You should be with your people, not ramping all over the country, getting in danger.

"Because I am a lady, does not mean I wish to be there, at home forever. I was raised thinking that that was the only thing I could do, but I wanted more. My brother taught me how to fight, and since then, I was not able stay in Lothlorien. I longed for adventure. You are a prince and you are on the most dangerous journey you could get yourself into."

"But I'm a _prince_ you are a _lady_. There is a difference."

"Yes. A minor one. I can fight just as well as you can."

"Orcs will see you as a weakness. They will attack you more than any of us."

"And I will fight them. Do you think that I am not used to it; I have traveled by myself for years. You said before that you had heard of me. Give me a chance. I will not hinder you."

"You are a _lady_."

"You are a prince and you travel, explain to me the difference."

"I explained to you—"

"Other than the gender," she added quickly.

"I can defend myself, you on the other hand…"

"What makes you think that I cannot? I have journeyed around for more than a few years. Do you not think that if I had been unable to defend myself that I would be dead by now? I have been to Mordor and back. That is where I was coming from when I saw the Rohirrim surround you."

"You have been to Mordor?" he asked respectfully, not quite believing her. "Why would you go there?"

"I heard rumors that after the Shadow was banished from Mirkwood it returned to its old fortress in Mordor. I went to find out for certain."

"It is true, is it not?"

"I should think you would know that. It is what your quest is about, but yes. Not only has it fled to Mordor, but he is gathering all evil armies to him. He is getting ready to wage war on the good of Middle-earth."


	2. Wargs

**Four's Company**

**By Elerrina**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Lord of the Rings. I give complete credit to the author and creator, J. R. R. Tolkien, and also to the writers of the screenplay, for I am taking most of this straight from the script.

**  
Chapter 2: Wargs**

"Maybe if we had not driven him out of Mirkwood, none of this would have happened."

"Do not blame yourself or your people. If you had not driven him out one of two things probably would have happened. One, once he got stronger, he would have returned to his old stronghold himself or two, he would have made Mirkwood his dark domain."

"But still, maybe he would not have gained strength. Maybe Frodo could have destroyed the Ring without any problems from him."

"Stop thinking about the 'what ifs'. It does not help. You cannot go back and change the past, so forget about it."

"But—"

"Forget it."

That night Lalaith lay awake. She was unused to sleeping at a camp with people other than herself or the animals that kept her company unless she had been captured. Now the noise of their breathing kept her up. She heard stirring and watched silently as Aragorn got up and walked over to join Gandalf.

"The veiling shadow that glowers in the east takes shape. Sauron will suffer no rival. From the summit of Barad-dûr, his Eye watches ceaselessly. But he is not so mighty yet that he is above fear. Doubt ever gnaws at him. The rumor has reached him. The heir of Númenor still lives," Gandalf whispered menacingly. "Sauron fears you Aragorn. He fears what you may become. And so he'll strike hard and fast at the world of Men. He'll use his puppet Saruman to destroy Rohan. War is coming. Rohan must defend itself, and therein lies our first challenge for Rohan is weak and ready to fall. The king's mind is enslaved; it's an old device of Saruman's. His hold over King Théoden is now very strong. Sauron and Saruman are tightening the noose. But for all their cunning we have one advantage. The Ring remains hidden. And that we should seek to destroy it has not yet entered their darkest dreams. And so the weapon of the enemy is moving towards Mordor in the hands of a Hobbit. Each day brings it closer to the fires of Mount Doom. We must trust now in Frodo. Everything depends upon speed and the secrecy of his quest. Do not regret your decision to leave him. Frodo must finish this task alone."

"He is not alone. Sam went with him."

Lalaith could tell that Gandalf was pleased to hear this. "Did he? Did he indeed? Good, yes, that's very good."

The next morning as dawn broke the dark of the night anyone awake on the plains could see the five riding with all speed toward Edoras. The five halted as the crested a hill.

"Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld, King of Rohan, whose mind is overthrown and Saruman's hold over King Théoden is now very strong," Gandalf informed them. "Be careful what you say. Do not look for welcome here."

"This place is as cheerful as a graveyard," Gimli said as they climbed the steps.

"I cannot allow you before Théoden-king so armed, Gandalf Grayhame. By order of, Grima Wormtongue," a guard told them reluctantly.

Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas handed their weapons to the guard, but Lalaith refused to.

"I will not hand over my weapons. I will lay them against the wall. You will guard them, but _not _touch them," she ordered.

She put her sword, knives, bow, and quiver against the wall. Then unsheathed her five daggers. Two were strapped to her wrists, two in her boots, and one at the small of her back so that she could reach it if her hands were tied.

The other four watched in amazement. None of them carried that many weapons. Aragorn had a bow and a sword. Legolas had knives and a bow. Gimli had two axes and a few throwing axes.

"Your staff," the guard requested.

"Hmm? Now, you would not part an old man from his walking stick," he said with a wink at his companions.

They entered the hall and Lalaith heard Grima hissing to Théoden. "My lord, Gandalf the Grey is coming. A herald of woe." She glared at they evil man.

"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Théoden-King," Gandalf called.

"He is not welcome," Grima whispered.

"Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?" Théoden asked slowly.

"A just question my liege. Late is the hour in which the conjurer chooses to appear. Lath spell I name him. Ill news is an ill guest," Grima hissed.

"Silence," Gandalf commanded. "Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crude words with a witless worm."

"His staff! I told you to take the wizard's staff!" Wormtongue exclaimed.

As Gandalf walked forward people of the Rohirrim jumped forward to stop him. Legolas, Aragorn, Gimli and Lalaith fought without their weapons, allowing Gandalf to pass unhindered.

"Théoden son of Thengel, too long have you sat in shadows," Gandalf said, advancing on him.

"I would stay still if I were you," Gimli told Grima who was on the floor under his boot when he tried to get away.

"Harken to me! I release you from this spell."

"Ha, ha, ha! You have no powers here, Gandalf the Grey. Ha, ha, agh!" Theoden exclaimed in Saruman's voice as he was slammed back against his throne.

"I shall draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound."

Èowyn entered and saw what was happening. She immediately moved to rush to her uncle's side, but Aragorn caught her arm before she could. "Wait."

"If I go, Théoden dies," Saruman told Gandalf through the king.

"You did not kill me, you will not kill him," Gandalf retorted.

"Rohan is mine!" Saruman claimed.

"Be gone!" Gandalf ordered, thrusting his staff at Theoden one last time.

Théoden fell forward and Èowyn broke away from Aragorn and ran to her uncle, catching him before he hit the ground and helping him sit back in his throne.

Théoden's face slowly began to change. His hair grew darker, his eyes clearer. He transformed into a much younger man in front of everyone in the room.

"I know you face… Èowyn. Èowyn," he breathed.

She beamed at her uncle. He had finally acknowledged her, after years of being under the wizard's spell, he was free.

"Breath free air again, my friend," Gandalf told him.

"Dark my dreams have been of late," Théoden said.

"Your fingers would remember your old strength better, if they grasped your old sword."

Háma ran up, carrying his king's sword. Théoden slowly reached out, his fingers finding their way to the right position. He grasped it and raised it high. He turned his gaze to Grima Wormtongue and he glared.

The guards collected him and threw him out of the hall and down the steps where he lay, sprawled amongst the people of Rohan, none of them caring to do anything about him.

"I've only ever served you, my lord," Grima pleaded.

"Your witchcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!" Théoden corrected.

"Send me not from your side," he begged.

Théoden's only answer was to raise his sword, readying himself to kill Grima, but Aragorn sprung into action and caught the sword before it hit Wormtongue.

"No, my lord!" he exclaimed. "Let him go. Enough blood has been spilled on his account." He offered his hand to Grima to help him up.

Wormtongue spat on the heir's hand in contempt.

Grima got up and ran out of the king's sight, yelling, "Get out of my way!" and shoving people when they did not heed him.

"Hail, Théoden King!" Aragorn introduced him again to his people.

Théoden looked around, searching the crowds. "Where is Théodred? Where is my son?"

"You're son is dead, uncle," Èowyn solemnly informed Théoden. "He died last night. He was badly wounded."

"And Éomer? Where is my nephew?" he questioned, not remembering anything of what went on while he was under Saruman's command.

"Grima had banished. He showed you tokens that the Uruks that are crossing our lands are under Saruman's command, not Sauron's. Grima had the guards throw him out."

"I wish that I had killed him. Why did you stop me?" he demanded of Aragorn. "He helped Saruman control me. I wasn't even by my son's side when he died. My nephew, the next in line to the throne, he banished. What will happen to my people when I die?"

* * *

"They had no warning," Èowyn told her uncle. "They were unarmed. Now Wildmen are moving through the westfold, burning as they go. Every rick, cot, and tree."

Gimli was eating messily at a table. Aragorn was sitting across from him smoking his pipe and Legolas and Lalaith were standing. Gandalf was sitting to Théoden's right.

"Where's Mamma?" the little girl named Freya asked.

"Shh," Lalaith told her, sitting down. "Everything will be fine." The elf maiden had taken a liking to the girl, feeling sorry for her. Everything she knew, other than her brother and the family horse, was gone.

"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will release. All the more potent for he is driven mad by the fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on," Gandalf advised. "Draw him away from the women and children. You must fight."

"You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak. Èomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king," Aragorn informed him.

"They will be three hundred leagues from here by now. Èomer cannot help us. I know what it is you want of me, but I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war," Théoden said.

"Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not," Aragorn stated.

"When I last looked, Théoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan," Théoden said.

"Then what is the king's decision?" Gandalf questioned.

"We will empty the city and make for Helm's Deep. If war comes, never has the wall been breached. We can protect it," Théoden decided.

The five friends went outside and watched as Háma cleared the city.

"By order of the king, the city must empty!" he yelled. "We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep. Do not burden yourself with treasures, take only what provisions you need."

"Helm's Deep. They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king?" Gimli asked.

"He is only doing what he thinks is best for his people," Aragorn said. "Helm's Deep has saved them in the past."

"There is no way out of that of ravine. Théoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he is leading them to safety but what he'll get is a massacre. Théoden has a strong hold but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan. He will need you before the end, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defenses have to hold," Gandalf told Aragorn.

"They will hold," Aragorn promised.

They found their way to the stables where Gandalf went to Shadowfax's stall.

"The Grey Pilgrim. That is what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of men have I walked this earth and now, I have no time. Good luck. My search will not be in vain. Look to my coming. At first light of the fifth day at dawn, look to the East," Gandalf instructed.

"Go."

Gandalf mounted Shadowfax and Aragorn opened the stall door. Gandalf galloped out, right by Lalaith, Legolas, and Gimli.

"I guess I won't be staying in Edoras," Lalaith joked with Legolas.

"No, but you will be staying with the women and children. You will not be fighting."

"That is what you think. I will be fighting, whether you approve of it or not."

* * *

Lalaith gathered her belongings (which were few) and armed herself. She had a bad feeling that something would happen and didn't want to be caught at unawares. Lalaith wished that she would have had time to take a long hot bath, but it didn't seem like she'd ever get the chance.

She strapped her possessions on Elerrina's back and walked beside her. She followed behind Aragorn. They were on their way to Helm's Deep.

"It's true, you don't see many dwarf women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, they are oftentimes mistaken for dwarf men," Lalaith heard Gimli tell Èowyn.

Èowyn looked back at Aragorn and he mouthed, "It's the beards."

"And this in turn has given rise to the belief that there are no dwarf women, and that dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground! Which is of course ridiculous!" he said, moving a bit too much on Arod. The horse took off and Gimli was thrown.

"It's alright! I'm all right! That was deliberate, it was deliberate!" Gimli assured them, though no one believed him.

Everyone fell silent for a time being, many thinking about what would happen to them at Helm's Deep.

Èowyn finally broke the silence. "Where is she? The woman, who gave you that jewel?"

Lalaith could almost see the pain in Aragorn's eyes; sense the agony coming from thinking of his love and her niece. She knew of Arwen and Aragorn's love.

"My lord?" Èowyn pried, when he did not respond.

"She is sailing to the undying lands, with all that is left of her kin."

"She's an elf then?"

"Yes."

"What is it? Háma?" she heard Gamling ask, concerned.

"I'm not sure," Hama answered.

All of a sudden a warg appeared on top of the hill and attacked Háma. Unfortunately, it killed him. It then turned to go after Gamling, but Legolas shot it with his arrow.

"A scout," Legolas shouted.

Lalaith hurriedly ran up beside Legolas and started shooting at the attacking wargs and their orc riders. She killed three before horses surrounded her. She spotted Elerrina among them and as she passed, swung up on her back.

The riders galloped out to meet the wargs head on.

As she rode, Lalaith shot arrows at any orc or warg she could sight. She killed many with her arrows but she was looking far when she should have been looking right beside her. An orc stuck his sword into Elerrina's flank and his knife into Lalaith's side. The horse faltered and then crumpled, dead.

Lalaith jumped off of the horse and drew her daggers. She ran attacked the orc who had killed her loyal mount and then went after the warg.

She looked around to see how her companions were faring. Legolas was still on his horse and Gimli was buried under two wargs and an orc. She turned and saw a warg pounce and knock Aragorn off of Hasufel.

"Aragorn!" she exclaimed and dashed towards him.

She watched as an orc rider came up behind him and he got his hand tangled in the saddle. She was standing closer to the cliff and was right in the wargs path.

Aragorn head-butted the orc and ended up stabbing him. The orc fell off, not quite dead a few seconds before the warg reached Lalaith.

She leaped onto the warg's back, intent on saving Aragorn, knowing that if he fell off the cliff he didn't have much of a chance of living.

Lalaith struggled to pull his hand free, managing to do so only when the warg started to fall off the cliff.

Aragorn managed to grab hold of the rocks a little way down from the edge of the cliff but Lalaith wasn't as lucky.


	3. The Caves

**Four's Company**

**By Elerrina**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Lord of the Rings. I give complete credit to the author and creator, J. R. R. Tolkien, and also to the writers of the screenplay, for I am taking most of this straight from the script.

**  
Chapter 3: The Caves**

The battle stopped, all of the wargs and orcs were dead or had run away. Gimli looked around, he had gotten out from under the orc sandwich, searching for his friends.

"Aragorn?" Legolas called, not finding him.

"Aragorn?" Gimli echoed.

The elf looked around and spotted an orc lying on the ground laughing. He and the dwarf ran over to it.

"Tell me where he is and I'll ease your passing," Gimli said.

"He's… dead. He took a little tumble off the cliff," it laughed.

"You lie," Legolas accused.

The orc quit breathing. And Legolas let him fall back to the ground. Legolas saw something in the orc's hand and took it out; it was the Evenstar, Arwen's necklace. Legolas took it, hoping beyond all hope that he would be able to return it.

He stood up and walked over to the cliff, to see if there was any truth to what the orc had told them.

"Aragorn," he gasped, spotting his friend hanging onto the side of the cliff. "Gimli, come here! Aragorn's alive!"

Gimli and Théoden rushed over.

"Hurry, he's hurt, we need something to pull him up with. Rope," he demanded of his people. "We need rope now!"

A man rushed over and handed his king a coil of rope. They dropped it down to him and he grabbed on.

"Hang on, Aragorn, we're going to pull you up," Théoden shouted.

The four men hauled him up.

"Aragorn, are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine… but Lalaith… she fell… I think she's… dead," he told them.

"I told her not to come. I told her she should not fight!" Legolas exclaimed. "If she had listened to me she might still be alive! You are not fine either, you are hurt."

"Come, we must get to Helm's Deep before nightfall," Théoden said.

"You mean we will leave the dead?" Gimli asked. "They deserve a proper burial."

"All people do, but if we do not hurry, more people will die. Come, we must make haste. Aragorn, ride double with someone," the king ordered.

"I am well enough to ride alone, my lord."

"Fine. We need to hurry."

When the king left, Legolas took out the Evenstar and handed it to Aragorn.

"Thank you mellonin." (My friend)

Everyone who was able to mounted a horse. Legolas and Gimli made sure that Aragorn's horse was tied with a lead rope to Arod so that he was less likely to fall.

* * *

"Make way for Théoden!" a guard yelled. "Make way for the King!"

"So few, so few of you have returned," Èowyn commented to her uncle.

"Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives," the king answered.

"My lady…" Aragorn came up to her after the king had left. "Lalaith… she fell."

"Draw all our forces behind the wall. Bar the gate and set watch on the surround," Théoden commanded.

"What of those who cannot fight, my lord, the women and children?" the guard asked.

"Get them into the caves," he replied. "Saruman's arm would have grown long indeed if he thinks he can reach us here."

* * *

Lalaith floated down the river, unconscious.

May the grace of the Valar protect you.

The horse Brego came up to her and nudged her, waking her up. She mounted him carefully and they rode towards Helm's Deep. Brego strayed a little off the path and Lalaith saw Saruman's army of ten thousand orcs.

"Mae carnen, Brego, mellon nîn,' Lalaith muttered as she patted the horse. (Well done, Brego, my friend.)

They rode swiftly to Helm's Deep to warn the king about the army.

* * *

Lalaith entered Helm's Deep. She was badly injured, especially her shoulder. People knew that she must have fought.

"Where is she?" Aragorn demanded. "Excuse me, pardon me," he said as the people slowly parted before him.

"You are the luckiest, cunningest, and most reckless person I know. Bless you!" he said.

"Aragorn, where is the king? I must speak with him."

"He is in there," he told her, pointing to a pair of large doors.

She walked over and pushed them open, entering the room where the king was speaking with his advisors. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli followed her.

"A great host you say?" Théoden asked.

"All Isengard is emptied," she replied.

"How many?"

"Ten thousand strong, at least," she informed him.

"Ten thousand!" he exclaimed in disbelief.

"It is an army bred for a single purpose; to destroy the world of men. They will be here by nightfall."

"Let them come," he said as he walked outside. "I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms, to be ready for battle by nightfall. We will cover the causeway and the gate from above. No army has ever breeched the Deeping wall or set foot inside the Hornburg."

"This is no rabble of mindless orcs. These are Uruk-Hai. Their armor is thick and their shields broad," Gimli told the king.

"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own keep. They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn. We've seen it before. Crops can be resown, homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them."

"They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages. They come to destroy its people! Down to the last child!" Aragorn tried to convince him.

"What would you have me do? Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, I would have us make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance."

"Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid," Lalaith suggested.

"And who will come? Elves, Dwarves? The old alliances are dead."

"I am here. Gimli and Legolas are here. The alliances are not dead. Call for aid. They will come."

"We are not so lucky in our friends as you."

"Gondor will answer," Aragorn told the king.

"Gondor?" he said in contempt. "Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us? Where was Gondor—. No, my lord Aragorn, we are alone."

Théoden walked away from the companions. "Get the women and children to the caves," he commanded.

"We need more time to lay provisions for a siege, my lord," Gamling told King Théoden.

"There is no time, war is upon us!"

"Secure the gate!" Gamling ordered.

"Lalaith, you must rest. You are no good to us half-dead," Aragorn told her.

"I am no more dead than you, I only look the worse for wear. If only my shoulder should quit throbbing like it is. There is no time for me to rest."

* * *

"Farmers, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers," Aragorn observed.

"Most have seen too many winters," Gimli agreed.

"Or too few," Legolas pointed out.

"They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes," Lalaith said.

"Boe a hûn: neled herain dan caer menig." (And they should be: three hundred against ten thousand.)

"Si beriathar hýn, Amar nâ ned Edoras," Lalaith replied. (They have a better chance of defending themselves here than in Edoras.)

"Men i ndagor. Hýn ú- ortheri. Natha daged aen," Legolas said. (They cannot win this fight! They are all going to die!)

"Then I will die as one of them!" Aragorn exclaimed. He turned and stalked away. Legolas moved to follow him.

"Let him go, Legolas. Let him go," Lalaith advised.

* * *

Lalaith sat alone on the stairs. A confused looking boy was standing alone with a sword in his hands.

"Give me your sword. What is your name?" she asked as he came over to her.

"Háleth, son of Háma, my lady. The men are saying that we will not last out the night. They say that it is hopeless."

Lalaith stood up and wielded the sword as the boy gawked to see a lady able to use the sword so easily. "This is a good sword, Háleth, son of Háma. There is always hope."

* * *

Aragorn started putting on his armor. Legolas came up and handed him his sword.

"We have trusted you this far, you have not let us astray. Forgive me, I was wrong to despair."

"Ú-moe edhored, Legolas," Aragorn said. (There is nothing to forgive, Legolas.)

Gimli put on some chain mail. "If we had time, I'd get this adjusted. It's a little tight across the chest," he said as the mail fell to the floor.

Outside, a horn sounded.

"That is no orc horn," Legolas pointed out. The three of them ran outside to meet the new arrivals.

"Send for the king!" Hasslebak exclaimed. "Open the gate!"

The gates opened and an army of elves marched in.

"How is this possible?" Théoden wanted to know.

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between Men and Elves. Long ago we fought, and died, together. We come to honor that alliance."

"Mae govannen, Haldir!" Lalaith welcomed the elf.

"You are most welcome!" Aragorn greeted.

"We are proud to fight alongside men once more," he told them with a smile.

* * *

"My lady, may I inquire as to your name?" Haldir asked Lalaith.

"I am Lalaith Rana."

"Why are you hurt? What happened?"

"I was fighting wargs and I ended up falling off a cliff."

"You fought wargs? When?"

"On the way here from Edoras. We were attacked by them."

"They let you fight?"

"I don't think that they really realized that I was fighting. It was such a mess. No one was paying much attention."

"You aren't fighting in this war are you?"

"Yes. I am. I do not intend to sit by and watch men and elves die when I could be helping them. I loathe orcs, Uruk-Hai, Saruman, and Sauron. I will not wait idly while they cover the lands in a second darkness."

"We will be able to handle them."

"You will need as much help as you can have. You have not seen the army. It will not be an easy war to win."

"Lalaith, would you come here, we need to speak with you," Aragorn called.

Lalaith slowly got up and walked over to speak to her friend.

"I wanted to thank you for saving my life. I would probably be dead now if you hadn't freed my hand."

"I hope you would do the same for me."

"Of course. Now, though, I want you to do me another favor."

"Before I agree to it, what exactly do you wish me to do?" she questioned.

"She's smart," Gimli muttered.

"I want you to go to the caves with the other women."

"You mean with the women who are unable fight? I refuse to, Aragorn. No. I will fight. You will need me."

"No, we will not. You may have been able to use that before, but now that the elves are here… Please, do this for me."

"No. I will not."

"I'm sorry for this then." He grabbed her arm and started dragging her towards the entrance of the caves.

"Aragorn, let me go! You know I can fight better than almost all of these men! Let me go!" She wrenched her arm out of his grasp and headed back the way they had come.

Haldir and Legolas seized her and hauled her back to Aragorn, with much trouble. The three of them, with Gimli following, forced her inside the caves.

"Do not let her escape. She is to stay here until the war is over," Aragorn told the guard.

"Yes, my lord."

"Why are you doing this to me? Why will you not let me fight?" Lalaith yelled.

"You will be safer here. You saved my life once, now, I'm saving yours. Please do not hold this against me."

The four men left her to her own thoughts, making sure she didn't try to follow them.

"They're right, my lady," one of the women comforted her. "Women don't fight. We will all be much safer down here."

"You do not understand, do you? There are ten thousand Uruk-Hai out there, waiting to rid the world of men, elves, and dwarves. Saruman wants to take over Rohan. Once he kills all of the men he will come down here and kill all of us."

"My lady, they will not win. The men will defeat them."

"Saruman is cunning. He will not give up without a fight. They will need all the help they can get, be that boys or women."

Lalaith walked away from the woman, knowing that she would not sway her. They were too confident. The men were smart. They knew that it was unlikely that they would win.

She ended up back at the entrance to the caves.

"I have orders not to let you out, my lady. I will not disobey my lord. I agree with him," the guard informed her.

"Please, my lord. I must help," Lalaith begged, something not done often by elves, especially elven royalty.

"I am sorry, but no."

* * *

"Lalaith! Why are you here? I thought you would be out fighting," Èowyn said, surprised.

"So did I. Aragorn, Legolas, Haldir, and Gimli refuse to let me fight. They locked me in here and the guard refuses to let me out. I have to get out there! I have to battle!"

"I wish that I could also, but Uncle won't let me. Come, I think I may be able to help you. Uncle ordered the guards to make me stay here, but he didn't order them to make you stay. I am right below him now, maybe he would listen to me."

The two of them made their way through the crowds to visit the guards again.

"Lady Èowyn," he acknowledged. "What can I do for you?"

"You may let Lalaith out."

"I have strict orders from Lord Aragorn to make her remain here."

"Is Lord Aragorn royalty here? You are to take my word over his and I command you to let her out."

"Yes, my lady. You may leave," he said, reluctantly moving out of the way.

"Thank you, Èowyn. I appreciate it," she called back as she ran down the corridor to gather her things.

She found her weapons in an out-of-the-way corner of the armory. She was going to have to talk to her companions about touching her things. She quickly armed and went to the wall. She made her way along the lines of men, the ones in front all had their bows drawn, many of them couldn't hold them steady well enough to aim. She heard the orcs pounding their spears on the ground and quickened her pace until she reached the elves.

She took up a place at the end of the front line, hoping that no one would question her being there. She was still hurt, though her wounds had healed some.


	4. Helm's Deep

Four's Company

By Elerrina

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Lord of the Rings. I give complete credit to the author and creator, J. R. R. Tolkien, and also to the writers of the screenplay, for I am taking most of this straight from the script.

**  
Chapter 4: Helm's Deep**

"Daer ú-o chyn, Ú-danno i failad a thi; an úben tannatha le failad," Aragorn gave them a final pep talk. (Show them no mercy, for you shall receive none.)

Everything stopped. No one moved, the orcs stopped pounding their spears, everyone quit speaking.

After a moment of still and silence an old man, straining in the pouring rain, lost his grip on the bowstring. His arrow flew true and hit an Uruk in the chest.

"Dortho!" Aragorn yelled. (Hold!) "Tangado a chadad!" (Prepare to fire!)

The Uruk fell forward, dead. The rest of the Uruk army roared and charged.

"Faeg i-varv dîn na lanc a nu ranc!" Lalaith heard Legolas shout. (Their armor is weak at the neck and under the arms.)

"Leithio i philinn!" Aragorn commanded, sword drawn. (Fire!)

Lalaith obeyed. She killed an Uruk, as did many others. They continued shooting, and killing, orcs for as long as they could.

"Keep firing!" Aragorn bellowed.

They did as they were told, hoping to kill as many as they could before they had to get in there and draw swords.

"Pendraid!" the heir warned. (Ladders!) "Swords! Draw your swords!"

Lalaith drew her daggers, readying herself.

The Uruks rose ladders and climbed up them, jumping onto the wall.

The elves and men cut them down as fast as they could, but they climbed too fast. They were all around, everyone was surrounded. Everyone picked one and attacked.

"Legolas, I'm on two already!" Lalaith heard Gimli brag.

"I'm on seventeen!" Legolas answered.

She decided not to join the contest and reveal her presence too early.

"Nineteen!" Legolas revised.

They cut down as many Uruks as they could. The orcs climbed up the ladders as fast as they could.

"Dago han! Togo han, Legolas! Dago han!" she heard Aragorn shout. She looked where the future king was pointing and saw an orc running toward a drain. (Kill him! Bring him down, Legolas! Kill him!)

Legolas shot him once but he didn't even falter. Lalaith decided to help out a little. She whipped out an arrow and loosed. It hit him, but he didn't stop. He threw himself into the drain and the next thing she knew, the wall was blowing apart.

Saruman's army of Uruks crowded through the hole in the wall.

"Gimli!" Aragorn shouted, spotting his friend about to get trampled. "Prepare to charge!" Aragorn commanded. "Hado i philinn! Herio!" (Hurl the arrows! Charge!)

Lalaith was still on the wall where Haldir and many other elves that had avoided the explosion were still battling the Uruk-hai that were clambering up the ladders.

"Aragorn, pull back to the gate!" Theoden ordered.

"Nan barad! Nan barad, Haldir! Nan barad!" Aragorn yelled up to the people on the wall. (To the Keep! To the keep, Haldir! To the keep!)

Everyone turned, still fighting off orcs, and ran towards the keep. Lalaith looked back, searching for someone she knew. Haldir was battling an Uruk while another snuck up behind him. It raised its sword…

Lalaith sheathed her daggers, whipped her bow off of her back, grabbed an arrow out of the nearest body and as quick as lightning, right as Haldir turned around and saw the creature, she shot. Her arrow flew true, killing the foul thing.

"Hurry Haldir!" she called back to him.

Once everyone was inside Gamling directed his men to brace the gate.

"To the gate! Draw your swords!" Théoden ordered.

"We can't hold much longer," Gamling informed his King. "They'll break through!"

"Hold them!"

Lalaith approached the King of Rohan. "How much time do you need?" she asked.

"As long as you can give me!" Théoden answered, forgetting for the time that he was speaking to a woman.

"Gimli, Aragorn!" she called, finally revealing her presence to her friends.

The three left through the side gate.

"Come on, we can take them!" Gimli said.

"It's a long way," Aragorn pointed out.

After a moments hesitation the dwarf replied, "Toss me."

"What?" Isildur's heir asked, not believing what he had heard.

"I cannot jump the distance, you'll have to toss me. Eh… don't tell the elf." He was referring to the incident in Moria with Legolas.

"Not a word," Aragorn promised as he picked up Gimli and threw him across the gap. Lalaith jumped right after followed closely by Aragorn.

The three of them slaughtered many Uruk-hai. Giving the king the opportunity to seal gate.

"Shore up the door," Théoden ordered from inside. "Gimli, Aragorn, Lalaith, get out of there!"

The last piece of wood was placed over the hole in the door, they had no way of getting inside and they couldn't jump back over the gap.

"Aragorn!" Legolas called from the wall above them. He threw a rope down to them. Aragorn grabbed Gimli and he and Lalaith took hold of the rope where they were pulled to halfway safety. Lalaith flinched and let go of the rope with her injured arm.

"Pull everybody back! Pull them back!" Théoden told his people.

"Pull back! Pull back! Retreat! Retreat!" Gamling repeated.

"Hurry, get them inside! Come, to the keep!" Aragorn added.

Everyone dashed to the keep and temporary safety.

"The fortress is taken. It is over," Théoden despaired.

"You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it. They still defend it. They have died defending it!" Aragorn reminded him. "Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" When he didn't get an answer he asked again, "Is there no other way?"

"There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. They will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many," Gamling answered.

"Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance!" Aragorn took over.

"So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?" Théoden questioned.

"Ride out with me. Ride out and meet them."

"For death and glory?"

"For Rohan. For your people."

"The sun is rising," Gimli pointed out.

"Yes! Yes, the horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep one last time!" Théoden said, a small bit of hope returning to his voice.

"Yes!" Gimli exclaimed, he turned and ran up to blow the horn.

"Let this be the hour that we draw swords together. Fell deeds await. Now for wrath. Now for ruin. And the red dawn!" the king exclaimed.

The men and Lalaith mounted their horses.

"Forth Eorlingas!"

The Uruks broke the door down as they rode out. They cleared a path, trampling over all in their way. As the sun appeared over the mountains they stopped and looked. A rearing white horse and rider appeared on the horizon.

"Gandalf," she heard Aragorn mutter.

Éomer appeared next to Gandalf and soon many more joined them. Éomer raised his spear and they all gallop down the mountainside. The war didn't last much longer. The Uruks were slaughtered. The only ones that survived the attack of the Rohirrim ran into the forest that had appeared over the night. The hourons took care of them. None that marched to war lived to see another dawn.

The next day Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Lalaith rode out.

"Sauron's wrath will be terrible, his retribution swift. The battle for Helm's Deep is over. The battle for Middle-earth is about to begin. All our hopes now lie with two hobbits somewhere in the wilderness," Gandalf said as they looked out to Mordor.

The five of them rode slowly back to Helm's Deep.

"Lalaith," Aragorn began. "We told you not to fight. We put you in the caves with orders to the guard to not let you out."

"But…"

"Let us finish," Haldir interrupted her.

"Fine."

"We would like to know how you got out," Gimli requested.

"Èowyn told him to let me out. She is of higher rank than you. She overruled your orders."

"We would also like to thank you. You helped the battle for Helm's Deep greatly. If it were not for you, many more people would be dead."

"If it were not for you, I would be dead," Haldir added with a gracious smile in her direction. Diola le." (Thank you.)

"I would expect nothing less from you."

"Lalaith…" Legolas trailed off. "I… oh." He left the room.

"He thanks you. He just wishes that you would have listened to us," Aragorn told her.


	5. Visions

**Four's Company**

**By Elerrina**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Lord of the Rings. I give complete credit to the author and creator, J. R. R. Tolkien, and also to the writers of the screenplay, for I am taking most of this straight from the script.

**Chapter 5: Visions**

Gandalf entered the room to tell them what their next step would be.

"We will be heading to Isengard the day after tomorrow. We need to make haste, but we also need a day's rest. Be prepared to leave with the sun."

"Will I be allowed to go with you?" Lalaith questioned.

"If you wish to accompany us, you may. We'll be back after we deal with the situation there."

"I would like to come along to meet the two hobbits you speak so highly of."

The wizard left them just the way they had been when he had arrived.

"Well," said Lalaith, standing up, "I shall be going to the dining hall to eat."

"May I have the pleasure of accompanying you?" Haldir asked.

"You may," Lalaith replied graciously, forcing a smile to her lips. She had wanted some peace and quiet, but the daughter of the Lord and Lady rarely got the opportunity among her people.

"Why don't we all join you?" Aragorn suggested. "It would do us all good."

"That would be fine," she said, a true smile gracing her face.

The four of them made their way almost silently to the hall, where they proceeded to gather some lunch and find a fairly unoccupied table to sit at.

"How is your shoulder, Lalaith?" Legolas asked as they sat down next to him.

"It still aches a bit, but it is better."

"I am pleased to hear that," Haldir told her. "Are you sure that you are up to the ride? You could stay here with your people. We are leaving later that day."

"I am sure that I will be fine. You needn't worry about me, Haldir."

"You are my lady. I will always worry about you, as will all of your people. Until you come home, or they get news of you, you will be in their thoughts."

* * *

"My lady, it is almost time for you to leave," said a handmaiden, gently shaking her awake.

"Thank you. Please tell them I will be ready in just a few minutes," Lalaith yawned, sliding out from under the covers.

She got up from the cot that she had been sleeping on. All of the people whose houses had been destroyed were either in that room or staying with friends who still had someplace to live.

She got ready quickly and headed out to the stables. She found the company she was traveling with already there.

"Maer aur, Lalaith," Aragorn greeted her in elvish.

"Maer aur, Elessar," Lalaith replied.

"Once you are ready, we leave," Legolas informed her.

She slung her pack over the back of Isilme, an elvish horse she had met, and then mounted, preferring to ride bareback.

"We ride to Isengard," Éomer instructed, mounting his steed.

They took it slow, not wishing to wear the horses out, in case they would need to escape quickly.

Aragorn dropped back to keep her company, after talking with Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, and Éomer.

"Lalaith, why do you not like being around your people? Why don't you enjoy being an important lady?"

"Because I cannot be myself," she answered him stiffly.

"Of course you can—"

"You do not understand, Aragorn. You may be an heir to the throne, but that throne has been empty for so long… You are more of a normal person to your people."

"Couldn't you convince them otherwise?"

"They do not stay around long enough for me to really talk to them. They expect me to wear gowns, ride sidesaddle, and be all lady like, do everything that I hate to do!"

"I'm sure if they saw you doing it enough that they would start to accept it."

"I tried that, Aragorn, for over a thousand years! How much longer do you think it would take!"

"If you went back now, they would be more open minded. They know that things are changing; times are changing."

"Maybe they do in Rivendell, but not in Lothlorien."

"They may not accept it in other ladies," Legolas said, coming back and riding beside Aragorn; Gimli behind him, "but they would in you. I heard many a tale about you and your deeds while I was there. You are very much respected."

"It does not matter how much I am respected! They may accept it, but they will not like it! My parents have accepted it, but the few times that I have gone back they have pestered me to stop my roaming and settle down for the last years the elves have in Middle-earth! They do not understand what I want to do; they do not understand me."

"Do you not believe that it would be much easier to understand you if they knew you?" Legolas pointed out. "You have been gone for so long, they consider you dead. They wish now that you could have known how proud they are of you. All of the things you did for Middle-earth are not lost."

"Though they may have been in vain," Lalaith said dejectedly.

"They have not been in vain. We will not let Middle-earth fail! The Fellowship may have broken, but our quest has not. We will continue to do anything we can to save the people of this world!" Aragorn exclaimed.

"How do you know?" Lalaith demanded. "How do any of us know?"

"We do not know anything," Legolas answered sadly. "We only know what we will do to protect this world, and I for one, know that I would gladly give my life if it meant that Middle-earth would be safe for another day."

"Calm down, Legolas," Lalaith told him. "Just because I doubt, does not mean that I will not do my part to help."

"You have done your part already, Lalaith. I wish that Gandalf had not even allowed you to come on this short journey."

"Legolas, not now. There is nothing we can do to stop her now," Aragorn stopped the fight from really starting.

* * *

"We are getting close," Lalaith told Gandalf. "Pippin and Merry must be outside. I can hear two mortals talking, very loudly."

"That would be them."

"I feel like I'm back at the Green Dragon after a hard day's work."

"Only, you've never actually done a hard day's work."

"Ah! Merry, Pippin!" Gandalf cried.

"Welcome, my lords, to Isengard," Merry greeted them.

"All the wine you have had must have gone to your head, Master Meriadoc, for you have missed one in our company. We have a lady with us," Aragorn informed the halfling.

"You young rascals! A merry hunt you've led us on, and now we find you, feasting… and smoking!

"We are sitting on a field of victory, enjoying a few well-earned comforts," Pippin defended himself. "The salted pork is especially good."

"Salted pork?" Gimli asked hungrily.

"Hobbits," Gandalf muttered to himself, shaking his head.

"We're under orders from Treebeard, who's taken over management of Isengard," Merry bragged.

"Well, let us go talk to the manager," said Gandalf.

* * *

"Young master Gandalf," Treebeard hoomed. "I'm glad you've come. Wood and water, stock and stone, I can master. But there is a wizard to manage here."

"Show yourself," Aragorn commanded in a whisper, very ready to have the treachery of Saruman done and over with.

"Be careful. Even in defeat Saruman is dangerous," Gandalf warned.

Gimli stated his suggestion, "Well, let's just have his head and be done with it."

"No, we need him alive. We need him to talk."

Saruman's voice drifted down on the mounted men. "You have fought many wars and slain many men, Théoden King and made peace afterward. Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace, you and I?"

"We shall have peace," Théoden said quietly. Then his voice grew stronger. "We shall have peace when you answer for the burning of the Westfold and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg, are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows, then, we shall have peace!"

"Gibbets and crows? Dotard! What do you want, Gandalf Greyhame? Let me guess, the key of Orthanc? Or perhaps the keys of Barad-dur itself along with the crowns of the seven kings and the staffs of the five wizards?

"Your treachery has already cost many lives, and thousands more are in danger. You could save them, Saruman. You were deep in the Enemy's counsel."

"Then you have come here for information. I have some for you." Saruman lifted up a seeing stone, a Palantir. "Something festers in the heart of Middle-earth. Something that you have failed to see, but the Great Eye has seen it. Even now he presses his advantage. You are all going to die!" Saruman's voice changed again, from strong and menacing to deep and confidential. "But you know this, don't you Gandalf? You cannot think that a Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept from the shadows, will never be crowned king. Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those closest to him. Even those he professes to love. Tell me, what words of comfort did you give to the halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death."

"I've heard enough," he told Legolas. "Shoot him now. Stick an arrow in his gob."

"No. Come down, Saruman, and we will spare your life."

"Save your pity and your mercy! I have no use for it!" Saruman throws a burning ball of fire down at Gandalf, who is standing alone at the steps of Orthanc.

Gandalf was surrounded by the fire, but as it dissipated it was revealed that he had been able to conjure up a shield to protect himself. In a deep voice Gandalf said, "Saruman, your staff is broken." The staff shattered in the hands of its owner. As that happened, Grima Wormtongue appeared behind his master.

"Grima, you need not follow him now. You were not always as you are now. You were once a man of Rohan. Come down," Théoden offered.

"A man of Rohan?" Saruman mocked. "What is the house of Rohan but a thatched barn where brigands drink in their reek and their brats roll on the floor with the dogs? The victory at Helm's Deep does not belong to you, Théoden Horse-master. You are a lesser son of greater sires."

Ignoring Saruman Théoden tried again. "Grima, come down. Be free of him."

"Free? He will never be free!"

"No!" Grima exclaimed, sick of Saruman's deception.

"Get down cur!" Saruman said, knocking Grima down.

"Saruman! You were deep in the Enemy's counsel. Tell us what you know!"

"You withdraw your guard and I will tell you where your doom will be decided. I refuse to be held prisoner here!"

Grima, a small dagger drawn, pounced on Saruman and stabs him in the back several times. Quickly Legolas drew an arrow and fired, his arrow found its mark and killed Grima. Without the weight Saruman plummeted off of the tower, landing with a sickening noise on the water wheel below him.

"Send words to our allies, and to every corner of the free world of Middle-earth. The enemy moves against us. We need to know where he will strike."

"The filth of Saruman is washing away. Trees will come back and grow here. Young trees, wild trees," Treebeard informed them.

Pippin, who had been riding in front of Aragorn, jumped off of Brego. Lalaith followed his eyes and saw a glowing orange orb. Pippin waded through the water and picked it up, eying it curiously.

"Pippin!" Aragorn called. "Come back here!"

"Peregrin Took, I'll take that my lad. Quickly now!"

Pippin walked slowly over to Gandalf and held the palantir up to him. As soon as it was in reach, Gandalf snatched it away from him and wrapped it in his robe.

"Treebeard, thank you. We will come back to see how you are coming, but now, we'll be on our way back to Edoras."

"Of course, Master Gandalf. We are glad to be of service," Treebeard droned as he lumbered off to see to the rebuilding of Isengard.

* * *

"Merry," Lalaith said, when they had stopped outside of Orthanc, "Would you like to ride with me? That way you could talk to Pippin."

"Um… sure. I'd like that," Merry replied. "Who, exactly are you?"

"I apologize. My name is Lalaith. I am the daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn. I should have introduced myself earlier."

The rest of the way to Rohan Lalaith just relaxed and listened to Merry and Pippin joked and talked about what had happened to them since the Fellowship had split up.

* * *

"Tonight we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country! Hail the victorious dead!" Théoden called over the crowd.

"Hail!" the people yelled together.

Lalaith was standing in the hall out of respect for the people who had died. Once she had drunk for the people, she was planning on leaving. She didn't feel like being around so many raucous Men.

"Westu Lalaith hal," Èowyn said, handing her the goblet.

Lalaith took it and drank. After Èowyn had left she made her way outside and stood to the side, looking out over the plains. She stood there, completely still for quite some time, until someone finally joined her outside.

She heard him step out, almost silently, if she hadn't been an elf, she wouldn't have heard him at all.

"It is beautiful here," he commented, standing a few steps behind her.

"Yes, Legolas, it is. I suppose you think that I should stay here."

"Lalaith, it is not that I think you should stay _here_, necessarily, but I think that you would be much safer here or in Lothlorien."

"As I have said before, no where is safe once Sauron wins. I am here to make sure that he does not conquer my home. I will not stay here, or travel home, until Sauron is defeated."

Legolas gave up and walked over to the edge, a few feet away from her. They stood in silence, listening to the night air and the people inside the Golden Hall.

"Oh you can search far and wide,

You can drink the whole town dry,

But you'll never find a beer so brown,

As the one we drink in our hometown.

You can keep your fancy ales,

You can drink them by the flagon,

But the only brew for the brave and true,

Comes from the Green Dragon!"

Lalaith laughed, "Are they always like this?" she asked Legolas.

"Yes, they are."

They fell silent once again until Aragorn joined them.

"The stars are veiled. Something stirs in the East… a sleepless malice," Legolas informed Aragorn.

"The Eye of the Enemy is moving," Lalaith added. "He is here!" she exclaimed, turning and running as fast as she could inside, Aragorn and Legolas following close behind her.

Lalaith wound her way through the halls, sensing where the Eye had stopped. She burst into the room, and found Pippin rolling on the floor in agony, looking into the palantír.

She rushed over to him and grabbed him by the shoulders, forcing him to hold still so that Aragorn could take the palantír from him. Aragorn grabbed it, then fainted, letting the palantír roll away from him. Gandalf woke up and quickly threw a cloak over it.

"Pippin!" Merry exclaimed, rushing over.

"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf chastised, pushing Merry away from Pippin. He muttered a spell and placed his hand on Pippin's forehead. Pippin woke up gasping for breath. "Look at me," the wizard ordered.

"Forgive me, Gandalf," Pippin pleaded, refusing to meet Gandalf's eyes.

"Look at me. What did you see?" Pippin looked away and Gandalf forced the hobbit to make eye contact.

"A tree," Pippin answered. "A white tree… in a courtyard of stone. It was dead. The city was burning."

"Minas Tirith? Is that what you saw?"

"I saw… I saw Him! I can hear his voice in my head."

Lalaith rubbed his back, trying her best to comfort the traumatized hobbit.

"What did you tell him? Speak!" Gandalf demanded.

"He asked me my name. I didn't answer. He hurt me."

"What did you tell him about Frodo and the Ring?"

Pippin looked at Gandalf, clearly confused. "Nothing."

* * *

The next day they made their way to the Golden Hall, needing to talk to Théoden.

"There was no lie in Pippin's eyes. A fool, yes, but an honest fool he remains. He told Sauron nothing of Frodo and the Ring. We've been strangely fortunate. Pippin saw in the palantír a glimpse of the Enemy's plan. Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith. His defeat at Helm's Deep showed our Enemy one thing. He knows the Heir of Elendil has come forth. Men are not as weak as he supposed. There is courage still… strength enough to challenge him. Sauron fears this. He will not risk the peoples of Middle-earth uniting under one banner. He will raze Minas Tirith to the ground before he sees a king return to the throne if Men. If the beacons of Gondor are lit, Rohan must be ready for war!" Gandalf told Théoden.

"Tell me; why should we ride to the aid of those who did not come to ours? What do we owe Gondor?" the king asked proudly.

"I will go," Aragorn offered.

"No," Gandalf said.

"They must be warned," Aragorn debated.

"They will be!" Gandalf lowered his voice, and then continued. "You must come to Minas Tirith by another road. Follow the river, look to the black ships." He raised his voice again, addressing everyone again, "Understand this, things are now in motion that cannot be undone. I ride for Minas Tirith and will not be going alone."

* * *

Gandalf led Pippin from the room toward the stables, Merry following behind.

Lalaith climbed the lookout point to watch Gandalf and Pippin ride out. Shortly she saw them do so, and Merry rushed up the point to see his friend off.

"Merry!" Aragorn called, rushing up the stairs behind the hobbit. The three of them sadly watched Gandalf and Pippin ride swiftly into the distance on Shadowfax.

Merry and Aragorn left once they couldn't see them anymore, but Lalaith stayed for a while longer.

While she was standing there silently a vision came to her.

_A group of elves was traveling slowly through the forest, her niece Arwen among them._

She can't be leaving. Aragorn will be crushed.

_Arwen suddenly halted her horse, she looked off into the woods; Lalaith followed her eyes, and saw what she was sure, was Aragorn and Arwen's son. He ran to an aged Aragorn who picked him up and swung him around. Lalaith looked closer and saw the Evenstar around the boy's neck. She looked back at Arwen and saw tears silently rolling down her cheeks. Arwen closed her eyes, opened them, and turned her horse around, galloping back the way they had come._

The vision faded. She made her way down to the bottom of the tower before the second came to her. She leaned against the wall.

_Arwen sat on her bed, exhausted. The book she had been reading fell to the floor._

_Lalaith's brother-in-law picked up her book and placed it on the bed, taking his daughter's hands in his own._

"_Your hands are cold," Elrond wondered. "The life of the Eldar is leaving you."_

"_This was my choice, Ada. Whether by your will or not, there is no ship now that can bear me hence."_

So she has, or will, give up her immortal life. I shall certainly miss her. Oh, Aragorn will feel so guilty.

* * *

"Lalaith, where do you think Gandalf and Pippin are?" Merry questioned. They were in the stables, Lalaith getting ready to go out for a ride and Merry enjoying seeing the ponies.

"They are very near Gondor if not already there. Shadowfax is quite the horse," Lalaith smiled.

"You think they'll be okay?"

"Pippin is in good hands. Would you like to go for a ride with me? It might take your mind off of things for a while."

"I would enjoy that, Lalaith. Thank you."

"Think nothing of it. I would enjoy some company."

Lalaith lifted Merry onto Isilme, and then mounted behind him.

"Do you really believe that they'll be alright?" Merry asked as they rode out.

"These are dark times, Merry. You cannot be sure of anything anymore.

Home is behind, the world ahead,

And there are many paths to tread,

Through sorrow, to the edge of night,

Until the stars are all alight,

Mist and shadow, cloud and shade,

All shall fade. All shall fade…"

"That was beautiful, even though it was depressing. Are all elves such good singers?"

"Yes. The Valar gifted us all with enchanting voices."

The two of them rode for around half an hour, just exploring the plains around the Golden Hall.

Lalaith scouted the mountains in the distance. At the edge of her vision she saw a beacon go up in flames.

"Merry, the beacons are being lit! Hold on to Isilme's mane," Lalaith instructed as she wheeled her horse around, "we will be riding quickly! Noro lim, Isilme!" she whispered in her horse's ear.

Isilme jumped forward and galloped at top speed back to the Golden Hall.

Lalaith left Isilme in the stables and dashed up the steps two at a time, meeting Aragorn on the way just as he spied the lights in the distance.

"The beacons of Minas Tirith! The beacons are lit!" Lalaith informed King Théoden.

"Gondor calls for aid," Aragorn added.

"And Rohan will answer," Théoden answered after a brief moment of hesitation, to the relief of all in the room. "Muster the Rohirrim!" he commanded Éomer. "Assemble the Men at Dunharrow, as many Men as can be found. You have two days. On the third, we ride for Gondor… and war. Gamling!"

"Sir," Gamling answered his king.

"Make haste across the Riddermark," Theoden instructed. "Summon every able-bodied man to Dunharrow."

"I will."

* * *

"Lalaith! I forbid you from coming along!" Legolas told her furiously.

"You are not _my_ prince! You cannot tell me what I may and may not do. I am going whether you like it or not, now _move!_"

The two elves were standing outside Lalaith's room, she had been going to gather her things when Legolas had seen her and decided to stop her. He now stood in the doorway to her sleeping quarters, refusing to move until she agreed to stay in Rohan.


	6. Arguments

Four's Company

By Elerrina

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Lord of the Rings. I give complete credit to the author and creator, J. R. R. Tolkien, and also to the writers of the screenplay, for I am taking most of this straight from the script.

**Chapter 6: Arguments**

"Do you think we should stop them?" Gimli questioned after listening to the two elves arguing for a few minutes.

"You may try," Aragorn replied, "but I don't think that you'll help much. It'll just make one of them mad at you. I refuse to vouch for either of them."

"I guess that might be a good id—"

"Ugh! I cannot stand him!" Lalaith complained, stomping into the room, completely un-elvish-like. "Why does he not understand that I am not going to go home until this is over! He is here, I have a right to be here just the same as him!"

"I know you do, Lalaith, but don't expect me to explain that to him," Aragorn said quickly as the she-elf opened her mouth.

"Aragorn…?" Lalaith begged. "I know that you do not wish him to be angry with you, but he would listen to you."

"Lalaith… I told you, I am not going to say anything about it."

"Gimli?"

"I would, but the elf already doesn't like me. I'm not going to upset him even more by defending you, not that I would mind that much, but it would make the trip much more unbearable."

"I am going back to get my things. I suppose he might have left already. I might try the back hall…"

"I am not going to leave you unguarded until I have your promise that you will stay here or go back to Lothlorien," Legolas told her, entering the room.

"Even the women of the Rohirrim are going with you for a ways. At least let me go that far. We will discuss the rest of it then."

"Fine. Do not pack your weapons though. You will not be needing them."

"And if we get attacked on the way? You would not wish for me to be unarmed."

"Go. We will discuss this again when the other women are going to leave."

Lalaith hurried back and gathered her few possessions; weapons and a small necklace, which luckily, no one had noticed yet. She usually wore it, but had taken it off the night before when she slept. She didn't feel like explaining it to anyone.

She slipped the chain around her neck and fingered the small ruby that was hanging on the bottom.

* * *

Lalaith slung her pack over Isilme's back. She stood next to her horse and waited for everyone to get ready before they set out.

"So it is before the walls of Minas Tirith, the doom of our time will be decided," Théoden told the people.

"Now is the hour!" Éomer called. "Riders of Rohan! Oaths you have taken, now fulfill them all! For lord and land!"

Lalaith swung up onto Isilme. Her steed stepped forward, following after the men, but before the women.

It took them the whole day to reach the encampment.

* * *

"Grimbold, how many?" Théoden asked.

"I bring five hundred men from the Westfold, my lord," Grimbold answered.

"And we have three hundred more, Théoden King," a soldier said, coming up beside the king.

"Where are the riders from Snowbourn?" Théoden questioned.

"None have come, my lord," the soldier replied.

"Six thousand spears," Théoden said, talking to the four friends. "That's less than half of what I'd hoped for."

"Six thousand will not be enough to break the lines of Mordor," Aragorn told the king.

"More will come," Théoden assured him.

"Every hour lost, hastens Gondor's defeat. We have till dawn, and then we must ride."

Théoden nodded. A horse reared nearby and the men toiled to calm it and the rest of the horses.

"The horses are restless and the men are quiet," Lalaith observed.

"They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain," Éomer explained.

"That road, where does it lead to?" Gimli asked.

"It's the road of the Dimholt, the door under the mountain," Legolas answered.

"None who venture there ever return," Éomer told them.

Aragorn stared at the road, almost drawn in.

"Aragorn!" Gimli exclaimed, hoping to get his attention away from the road.

The heir jerked around, and looked at Gimli, waiting for him to continue.

"Uh, let's get some food."

* * *

Lalaith's tent was set up right next to Aragorn's so she woke up when someone said, "Sir, King Théoden awaits you, my lord."

Lalaith got up and followed Aragorn silently, wondering why Théoden wanted to see Aragorn so early in the morning. She sat outside Théoden's tent, eavesdropping on the conversation inside.

"I take my leave," Théoden said.

He called Aragorn there, then he leaves? What is going on?

After a few seconds she heard Aragorn talk.

"My Lord Elrond."

Elrond is here?

"I come on behalf of one whom I love."

Oh that is reassuring at a time like this. Almost shout that you do not love him.

"Arwen is dying."

No!

"She will not long survive the evil that now spreads from Mordor. The light of the Evenstar is failing. As Sauron's power grows, her strength wanes. Arwen's life is now tied to the fate of the Ring. The Shadow is upon us, Aragorn. The end has come."

"It will not be our end, but his," Aragorn corrected.

"You ride to war, but not to victory. Sauron's armies march on Minas Tirith, this you know. But, in secret, he sends another force, which will attack, from the river. A fleet of Corsairs ships sails from the south. They will be in the city in two days. You are outnumbered. You need more men."

"There are none."

"There are those who dwell in the mountains."

"Murderers… traitors! You would call upon them to fight? They believe in nothing! They will answer to no one!"

"They will answer to the King of Gondor!" Elrond exclaimed. "Andúril, Flame of the West, forged from the Shards of Narsil."

"Sauron will not have forgotten the sword of Elendil." Lalaith heard the sword being unsheathed. "The blade that was broken will return to Minas Tirith!"

"The man who can wield the power of this blade can summon to him an army more deadly than any to walk this earth. Put aside the Ranger. Become who you were born to be. Take the Dimholt road. Ónen i-Estel Edain." (I give hope to Men)

"Ú-chebin estel anim," Aragorn said. (I keep none for myself.)

Aragorn left the tent and gathered his things, preparing to leave.

"Why are you doing this? The battle lies to the east; you cannot leave the men on the eve of battle. You cannot abandon the Men," Èowyn asked, hurrying to Aragorn's side.

"Èowyn…" Aragorn trailed off.

"We need you here."

"Why have you come?" Aragorn asked sadly.

"Do you not know?"

"It is but a shadow and a thought that you love. I cannot give you what you seek," Aragorn told her.

Èowyn backed away, shocked. After a moment of hesitation Aragorn turned and led Brego away from her.

Lalaith silently walked up behind Èowyn.

"He is right you know."

Èowyn spun around to face the elf maiden. "How can he be? I love him, not some shadow."

"You love the thought of loving him, but he cannot give you that. He loves Arwen. She has given her immortality to be able to be with him. If he turned her down, and gave you what you desire, he would regret killing Arwen for the rest of his life. You can understand that, can you not?"

"How do you know this? Are you positive that he could not love me?"

"Yes, Èowyn. I am sure." She reached under her shirt and fingered her necklace. "The only way that he could love you, was if Arwen died, and only then after many years of mourning."

"Are you going to leave along with Aragorn?"

"No. You see, Legolas will go with his friend, that way; I will have no one to order me to go back with the women tomorrow. Anyway, you will need me with you."

"I'm glad. That way, I won't be the only woman among the sea of men."

Lalaith laughed. "You will be the only woman' in a sea of Men. I will be the only Elf in a sea of Men."

"Please excuse me, I wish to see my brother."

Lalaith rushed to Théoden's tent in time to find her 'brother-in-law' leaving.

"Elrond!" she exclaimed.

"Who are you?" he asked bluntly, confused. "You look quite familiar, but I cannot place you."

"You do not recognize your own sister? It is I, Lalaith Rana. Celebrain's sister."

"Lalaith… it is good to see you again, I only wish that it could have been under better circumstances."

"Are you also going to tell me that I should not fight?"

"I would like too, for I have foreseen something that I do not wish to happen, but I also saw myself speaking with you, asking you not to go. I know that you would not listen to me, even if I did tell you not to go. Just promise me this, for me, your sister, and your parents, please, please, be careful."

"I promise. I may be hasty, but that does not mean that I would get myself killed without thinking it through."

"So you have thought this through well?"

"You have seen me dead, haven't you?" Lalaith questioned.

"Yes, Lalaith, I have. I cannot be sure which battle it was, but I can tell you, it will not be easy for you to die. You— I am not going to tell you anything other than that."

"I knew that there was that possibility, but I had hoped that it would never come to that. That will not keep me from fighting though. Thank you for informing me that I will die. It is kind of nice to know what is going to happen."

"I need to get back to Rivendell as quickly as I can. Arwen is dying. Her fate is tied to the Ring now."

"I heard you speaking to Aragorn. Take care of my niece. And do not worry. If there is any way for us to prevent her death, we will try."

"I know that you will, Lalaith. Your parents will be very happy to know that you are alive and well, for a while."

"Yes. I am certain they will. I am going to see if Aragorn has left yet. It was nice to see you, Lord Elrond."

"You know that you needn't be formal with me. We are relatives. Take care of yourself, and whoever else there may be," he added slyly.

She hurried away, hoping to catch Aragorn before Legolas met him. Unfortunately when she arrived, they had already gone into the Paths of the Dead.

"What's happening? Where is he going? I don't understand. Why does Lord Aragorn leave on the eve of battle?" the soldiers asked one another.

"He leaves because there is no hope," Gamling said, voicing the opinion of many of the people gathered around.

"He leaves because he must," Theoden answered truthfully.

"Too few have come. We cannot defeat the armies of Mordor with so few people," Gamling told the king.

"No, we cannot. But we will meet them in battle nonetheless," Theoden told his people. He then turned and went to find his niece. Lalaith followed him to make sure that Èowyn wasn't moping about.

The sun was rising on the horizon. Èowyn was standing with her arms crossed, staring out at the mountains in the distance, still deep in thought.

"I have left instruction. The people are to follow your rule in my stead. Take up my seat in the Golden Hall. Long may you defend Edoras if the battle goes ill," Théoden instructed.

"What other duty would you have me do, My Lord?" Èowyn asked blankly.

"Duty?" Théoden asked, taking his niece's hands in his. "No… I would have you smile again, not grieve for those whose time has come. You shall live to see these days renewed, no more despair."

Èowyn forced a small smile onto her lips to please her uncle, knowing that she was about to disobey his orders.

"The men must now leave. It is almost dawn. We can no longer wait for more troops if we expect anyone in Gondor to be alive when we arrive. Do not grieve for us for too long. I love you, Èowyn, and always will."

"You have my love also, Uncle. I know what you must do, and also what I must do. I wish you luck." She leaned forward and kissed Théoden's cheek.

Théoden left Èowyn standing there and went to prepare the men.

Lalaith walked up behind her. "Come, we shall need to hurry to get you ready."

The two of them rushed to Èowyn's tent where Lalaith helped her arm up. All Lalaith had to do was get her weapons and mount her horse.

"We must ride light and swift. It is a long road ahead, and man and beast must reach the end with strength to fight!" Théoden called to all of the assembled riders. Seeing Merry standing with his little white pony, he told him, "Little hobbits do not belong in war, Master Meriadoc."

"All my friends have gone to battle! I would be ashamed not to fight!"

"It is a three-day gallop to Minas Tirith and none of my riders can bear you as a burden," Theoden informed the dejected hobbit.

"I want to fight!" Merry argued.

"I will say no more."

As everyone rode forward, Merry stood there alone and ashamed. A rider reached down and plucked him from the ground onto the horse.

"Ride with me," they whispered.

"My Lady!" he exclaimed happily as she put her arm around him to keep him ahorse.

"Form up, move out!" Éomer ordered.

"Ride! Ride now to Gondor!" Théoden shouted.

"Isilme, my horse, is strong. I do not ride with a saddle so she does not carry the weight of the other horses. She can bear both of us as easily as any other person."

"Thank you, Lalaith."

"Think nothing of it," she replied, happy to have someone to talk to.

* * *

Merry rode with Lalaith the first two days, but Lalaith, remembering what Elrond had told her, about her dying, she asked Èowyn to bear the hobbit with her the remaining day. She happily agreed.

* * *

"Sound the horns!" Théoden commanded, seeing the battle going on in Minas Tirith.

Coming over the top of the hill, Èowyn and the rest of the soldiers saw that the battle there was hopeless.

"Courage, Merry. Courage for our friends," Èowyn comforted Merry, hoping to encourage herself. She tightened her grip around the scared little hobbit. Lalaith rode up and stopped alongside the two.

"Take heart, my friends. It will soon be over."

"My lady, you are fair and brave and have far too much to live for and many who love you. I know that it is too late to turn aside. I know there is not much point now in hoping. If I were a knight of Rohan, capable of great deeds… but I'm not. I'm a hobbit. And now, I can't save Middle-earth. I just want to help my friends: Frodo, Sam, Pippin. I wish more than anything that I could see them again."

"Prepare to move out!" Éomer shouted, cutting off the conversation.

"Make haste, we ride through the night!" Théoden yelled above the noise of the horses.

"To battle," Èowyn, Lalaith, and Merry chorused.

* * *

"Form ranks!" Gothmog ordered. "Form ranks you maggots! Pikes in front, archers behind!"

"Éomer, take your éored down the left flank. Gamling, follow the King's banner down the center!" Théoden commanded. "Grimbold, take your company right, after you pass the wall. Forth, and fear no darkness! Arise! Arise, riders of Théoden! Spears shall be shaken! Shields shall be splintered! A sword day! A red day! Ere the sun rises!"

Lalaith drew her daggers and tried to ready herself for death. Soon I will be with you again, melamin.


	7. Pellenor Fields

IMPORTANT: GO BACK AND READ CHAPTER 6! I REPOSTED IT AND ADDED A LOT. I edited the rest of the chapters and reposted them, but they are basically the same. Chapter 6 is very different and much, much longer. You won't be able to understand this chapter if you don't go back and read chapter 6.  
  
Also, not as important, the tilde (~) before and after a large part of the text indicates that it was taken directly out of Tolkien's The Return of the King. I do not own any part that is in there, and if I do, I'm sorry, I missed that part in there.  
  
Thank you. Now, enjoy.  
  
Chapter 7: Pellenor Fields  
  
Read chapter 6 again, those of you who didn't read the important note up top. You need to! Now, seriously this time, on with the story.  
  
"Ride now! Ride now! Ride! Ride for ruin and the world's ending! Death!" Theoden yelled.  
  
"Death!" the riders replied.  
  
"Death!" Theoden repeated.  
  
"Death!" the riders replied again, Lalaith with them this time.  
  
"Forth Eorlingas!" Theoden bellowed.  
  
The horses jumped forward.  
  
"Fire!" Gothmog ordered.  
  
Lalaith realized that it would be better if she would use her bow first. She shoved her daggers back in their sheaths and grabbed her bow and an arrow from her quiver.  
  
"Fire at will!" Gothmog told them.  
  
Lalaith fired arrow after arrow, killing as many orcs as she could before she got up close to the foul things. She slung her bow back over her shoulder and drew her daggers once again. She slashed her way through the orcs. They were all retreating, finding that they couldn't withstand the power of the Rohirrim.  
  
"Drive them to the river!" Eomer ordered.  
  
"Make safe the city!" Theoden instructed.  
  
Suddenly all grew silent. A large group of Mûmakil walked into battle.  
  
"Reform the line! Reform the line!" Theoden called to the Rohirrim.  
  
The frightened Rohirrim fell back into position. And readied themselves to charge the giant Mûmakil.  
  
"Sound the charge!" Theoden ordered. Gamling blew the horn. "Charge!"  
  
Lalaith rode forward, barely dodging the Mûmakil's feet and tusks. She drew her bow once again and shot the Haradrim that was controlling one of the giant beasts.  
  
The man fell off of the beast and the Mûmakil reared back. It crashed into the one next to they both fell dead.  
  
Lalaith managed to get behind the Mûmakil. She had made it past one danger, but wished that she had been smashed underneath their feet.  
  
"Are you ready to see Mandos?" the Witch King of Angmar hissed.  
  
Lalaith reined Isilme to a halt. "I am not going to let you kill me."  
  
The Nazgûl's beast stretched out it's neck to bite her. She dodged and used her daggers to decapitate it.  
  
"You have killed my steed. No mere man can kill me."  
  
"I am no mere man," she told the Nazgûl, taking off her helmet. "I happen to be an elf maiden who does not give up without a fight."  
  
The Nazgûl drew his blade and swung it at the elf.  
  
Lalaith parried and dodged, swinging her daggers around blindly, actually catching him in the stomach. She got a horrible tingling sensation in her arm that traveled throughout her whole body, right before she blacked out completely.  
  
At about that time, Èowyn and Merry were fighting one of the other Nazgûl, saving Theoden.  
  
Èowyn chopped off the winged beast's head. When the Nazgûl attacked Èowyn, Merry stabbed him in the back, allowing Èowyn to deliver the fatal blow.  
  
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli jumped off of the corsair's ship, bringing with them the undefeatable Army of the Dead.  
  
They moved over the field, killing every enemy in their path.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Where is Lalaith?" Aragorn wondered.  
  
The battle of Pellenor Fields was finally over and the survivors were gathered to hear him, their leader, speak.  
  
"I don't know," Legolas answered, scanning the crowd for a sign of the other elf. "She should be here."  
  
"Have you seen her we left on the paths of the dead? I know she didn't go back with the women. Isilme is in the stables. I don't remember if I've seen her."  
  
"I do not believe that I have. You don't think...?" Legolas trailed off.  
  
"Legolas, would you do me a great favor?"  
  
"Anything, Estel."  
  
"Go search for her on the battlefield. I know you don't much care for her, but please, do this for me."  
  
"Of course, but you are mistaken," the elf replied.  
  
"I'm not sure that I understand."  
  
"I do care for her. That is why I did not wish for her to fight."  
  
Aragorn gave the elf a confused look then made a shooing motion with his hand, bidding him to go search for their female companion.  
  
Legolas made his way out onto the battlefield.  
  
There were many corpses everywhere. The people of Gondor were planning on looking at them the next day.  
  
His elvish eyes skimmed over most of them. He only needed to check a few bodies.  
  
He wandered for nearly an hour, finding no one alive or an elf, until he heard someone breathing heavily and erratically.  
  
[Please let it be her.]  
  
Legolas followed the breathing until he saw her. She was buried under a pile of black cloth, clutching her dagger like it was her last lifeline. Her eyes were closed, unnatural for an elf. Lalaith was obviously in great pain, her face drenched in sweat.  
  
He ran over to her and gave her a gentle shake. She didn't respond.  
  
[I have to get her to Aragorn. He can help her.]  
  
He lifted her up and cradled her in his arms, then ran as fast as he could back to the tents outside Minas Tirith.  
  
Legolas rushed to Aragorn's tent and showed him Lalaith.  
  
"Go into the city and take her to the Houses of Healing. She will get the best cure there," he instructed.  
  
"How do you get there?"  
  
"I do not remember. It has been long since I have been inside the White City. Find someone there to give you directions."  
  
Legolas did as he was told. He made his way quickly into the city.  
  
"Excuse me sir, but could you tell me where I could find the Houses of Healing?" he asked the first person he came across.  
  
"Yes, of course," he answered with a sympathetic look at Lalaith who was now mumbling. The man kindly gave Legolas directions.  
  
Legolas hurriedly made his way to the place where Lalaith had a chance to be healed.  
  
"Come, bring the lady in with the maiden of Rohan," the Warden of the Houses told him.  
  
After a quick examination the man regretfully told him, "She is ill with what we call Black Shadow. It comes from The Nine. We unfortunately know no remedy. I am sorry."  
  
"You mean you can do nothing?"  
  
"We will watch her carefully. There are others who have it also. We are hoping to find a cure, but we are losing hope. It is unlikely but we will do our best."  
  
"Your best may not be good enough! Your best may not save her!"  
  
"What do you propose we do, Master Elf?"  
  
"At least allow me to remain with her."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"What exactly happens?"  
  
"They fall deeper and deeper into dreams."  
  
That is precisely what happened.  
  
She would call out in her sleep, begging someone, no one could discern the name, to help her, and then, she grew silent. A shadow fell on her face as the sun passed into the west. Soon, as Legolas learned, both Lalaith and Faramir had a fever that would not abate.  
  
*~*~*  
  
~Gandalf went from one to the other full of care, and he was told all that the watchers could hear. And so the day passed, and still Gandalf waited and watched and did not go forth; till at last the red sunset filled all the sky, and the light through the windows fell on the grey faces of the sick. Then it seemed to those who stood by that in the glow the faces flushed so softly as with health returning, but it was only a mockery of hope.  
  
Then an old wife, Ioreth, the eldest of the women who served in that house, looking on the fair face of Faramir, wept, for all the people loved him. And she said: "Alas! if he should die. Would that there were kings in Gondor, as there were once upon a time, they say! For it is said in old lore: The hands of the king are the hands of a healer. And so the rightful king could ever be known."  
  
And Gandalf, who stood by, said: "Men may long remember your words, Ioreth! For there is hope in them. Maybe a king has indeed returned to Gondor; or have you not heard the strange tidings that have come to the City?"  
  
"I have been too busy with this and that to heed all the crying and shouting," she answered. "All I hope is that those murdering devils do not come to this House and trouble the sick."  
  
Then Gandalf went out in haste, and already the fire in the sky was burning out, and the smoldering hills were fading, while ash-grey evening crept over the fields.~  
  
*~*~*  
  
"We seek the Steward and the men say that he is in this house. Has any hurt befallen him?" Legolas heard Prince Imrahil ask Gandalf.  
  
"And the Lady Èowyn, where is she?" Eomer questioned.  
  
"She lies within and is not dead, but is near death. But the Lord Faramir was wounded by an evil dart, as you have heard, and he is now the Steward, for Denethor has departed, and his house is in ashes," Gandalf replied.  
  
"So victory is shorn of gladness, and it is bitter brought, if both Gondor and Rohan are in one day bereft of their lords. Eomer rules the Rohirrim. Who shall rule the City meanwhile? Shall we not send now for Lord Aragorn?" Imrahil wondered.  
  
"He is come," Legolas heard Aragorn say.  
  
[He is here! Maybe he will be able to help them.]  
  
*~*~*  
  
~"I have come because Gandalf begs me to do so," he continued. "But for the present I am but the Captain of the Dunadain of Arnor; and the Lord of Dol Amroth shall rule the City until Faramir awakes. But it is my counsel that Gandalf should rule us all in the days that follow and in our dealings with the Enemy." And they agreed upon that.  
  
Then Gandalf said: "Let us not stay at the door, for the time is urgent. Let us enter! For it is only in the coming of Aragorn that any hope remains for the sick that lie in the House. Thus spoke Ioreth, wise-woman of Gondor: The hands of the king are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Then Aragorn entered first and the others followed. And there at the door were two guards in the livery of the Citadel: one tall, but the other scarce the height of a boy; and when he saw them he cried aloud in surprise and joy.  
  
"Strider! How splendid! Do you know, I guessed it was you in the black ships. But they were all shouting corsairs and wouldn't listen to me. How did you do it?"  
  
Aragorn laughed and took the hobbit by the hand. "Well met indeed!" he said. "But there is not time yet for travelers' tales."  
  
But Imrahil said to Eomer: "Is it thus that we speak to our kings? Yet maybe he will wear his crown in some other name!"  
  
And Aragorn hearing him, turned and said: "Verily, for in the high tongue of old I am Elessar, the Elfstone, and Envinyatar, the Renewer": and he lifted from his breast the green stone that lay there. "But Strider shall be the name of my house, if that be ever established. In the high tongue it will not sound so ill, and Telcontar I will be and all the heirs of my body."  
  
And with that they passed into the House; and as they went towards the rooms where the sick were tended Gandalf told of the deeds of Lalaith, Èowyn, and Meriadoc. "For," he said, "long have I stood by them, and at first they spoke much in their dreaming, before they sank into the deadly darkness. Also is given to me to see many things far off."~  
  
Aragorn went first to Faramir, and then to the Lady Èowyn and Lalaith, and last to Merry. When he had looked on the faces of the sick and seen their hurts he sighed. "Here I must put forth all such power and skill as is given to me," he said. "Would that Elrond were here, for he is the eldest of all our race, and has the greater power."  
  
And Eomer seeing that he was both sorrowful and weary said: "First you must rest, surely, and at the least eat a little?"  
  
But Aragorn answered: "Nay, for these four, and most soon for Faramir, time is running out. All speed is needed."  
  
~Then he called to Ioreth and he said: "You have store in this House of the herbs of healing?"  
  
"Yes, lord," she answered; "but not enough, I reckon, for all that will need them. But I am sure I do not know where we shall find more; for all things are amiss in these dreadful days, what with fires and burnings, and the lads that run errands so few, and all the roads blocked. Why, it is days out of count since ever a carrier came in from Lossarnach to the market! But we do our best in this House with what we have, as I am sour lordship will know."  
  
"I will judge that when I see," said Aragorn. "One thing also is short, time for speech. Have you athelas?"  
  
"I do not know, I am sure, lord," she answered, "at least not by that name. I will go and ask of the herb-master, he knows all the old names."  
  
"It is also called kingsfoil," said Aragorn, "and maybe you know it by that name, for so the country-folk call it in these latter days."  
  
"Oh that!" said Ioreth. "Well, if your lordship had named it at first I could have told you. No, we have none of it, I am sure. Why, I have never heard that it had any great virtue; and indeed I have often said to my sisters when we came upon it growing in the woods: 'kingsfoil', I said ''tis a strange name, and I wonder why 'tis called so; for if I were a king, I would have plants more bright in my garden'. Still it smells sweet when bruised, does it not? If sweet is the right word: wholesome, maybe, is nearer."  
  
"Wholesome verily," said Aragorn. "And now, dame, if you love the Lord Faramir, run as quick as your tongue and get me kingsfoil, if there is a leaf in the City."  
  
"And if not," said Gandalf, "I will ride to Lossarnach with Ioreth behind me, and she shall take me to the woods, but not to her sisters. And Shadowfax shall show her the meaning of haste."  
  
*~*~*  
  
When Ioreth was gone, Aragorn bade the other women to make water hot. Then he took Faramir's hand in his, and laid the other hand upon the sick man's brow. It was drenched with sweat; but Faramir did not move or make any sign, and seemed hardly to breathe.  
  
"He is nearly spent," said Aragorn turning to Gandalf. "But this comes not from the wound. See! That is healing. Had he been smitten by some dart of the Nazgûl, as you thought, he would have died that night. This hurt was given by some Southron arrow, I would guess. Who drew it forth? Was it kept?"  
  
"I drew it forth," said Imrahil, "And staunched the wound. But I did not keep the arrow, for we had much to do. It was, as I remember, just such a dart as the Southrons use. Yet I believed that it came from the Shadows above, for else his fever and sickness were not understood; since the wound was not deep or vital. How then do you read the matter?"  
  
"Weariness, grief for his father's mood, a wound, and over all the Black Breath," said Aragorn. "He is a man of staunch will, for already he had come close under the Shadow before ever he rode to battle on the out-walls. Slowly the dark must have crept on him, even as he fought and strove to hold his outpost. Would that I could have been here sooner!"  
  
*~*~*  
  
Thereupon the herb-master entered. "Your lordship asked for kingsfoil, as the rustics name it," he said; "or athelas in the noble tongue, or to those who know somewhat of the Valinorean..."  
  
"I do so," said Aragorn, "and I care not whether you say now asea aranion or kingsfoil, so long as you have some."  
  
"Your pardon lord!" said the man. "I see you are a lore-master, not merely a captain of war. But alas! Sir, we do not keep this thing in the Houses of Healing, where only the gravely hurt or sick are tended. For it has no virtue that we know of, save perhaps to sweeten a fouled air, or to drive away some passing heaviness. Unless, of course, you give heed to rhymes of old days which women such as our good Ioreth still repeat without understanding.  
  
When the black breath blows  
  
And death's shadow grows  
  
And all lights pass,  
  
Come athelas! Come athelas!  
  
Life to the dying  
  
In the king's hand lying!  
  
It is but a doggrel, I fear, garbled in the memory of old wives. Its meaning I leave to your judgment, if indeed it has any. But old folk still use an infusion of the herb for headaches."  
  
"Then in the name of the king, go and find some old man of less lore and more wisdom who keeps some in his house!" cried Gandalf.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Now Aragorn knelt beside Faramir, and held a hand upon his brow. And those that watched felt that some great struggle was going on. For Aragorn's face grew grey with weariness; and ever and anon he called the name of Faramir, but each time more faintly to the hearing, as if Aragorn himself had been removed from them, and walked afar in some dark vale, calling for one that was lost.~  
  
And at last Bergil came running in, and he bore eight leaves in a cloth. "It is kingsfoil, Sir," he said; "but not fresh, I fear. It must have been culled two weeks ago at the least. I hope it will serve, Sir?" Then looking at Faramir burst into tears.  
  
~But Aragorn smiled. "It will serve," he said. "The worst is now over. Stay and be comforted!" Then taking two leaves, crushed them, and straightway a living freshness filled the room, as if the air itself awoke and tingled, sparkling with joy. And then he cast the leaves into the bowls of steaming water that were brought to him, and at once all hearts were lightened. For the fragrance that came to each was like a memory of dewy mornings of unshadowed sun in some land of which the fair world in Spring is itself but a fleeting memory. But Aragorn stood up as one refreshed, and his eyes smiled as he held a bowl before Faramir's dreaming face.  
  
"Well now! Who would have believed it?" said Ioreth to a woman who stood beside her. "The weed is better than I thought. It reminds me of the roses of Imloth Melui when I was a lass, and no king could ask for better."  
  
Suddenly Faramir stirred, and he opened his eyes, and he looked on Aragorn who bent over him; and a light of knowledge and love was kindled in his eyes, and he spoke softly. "My lord, you called for me. I come. What does the king command?"  
  
"Walk no more in the shadows, but awake!" said Aragorn. "You are weary. Rest a while, and take food, and be ready when I return."  
  
"I will, lord," said Faramir. "For who would lie idle when the king has returned?"  
  
"Farewell then for a while!" said Aragorn. "I must go to others who need me." And he left the chamber with Gandalf, Legolas, and Imrahil; but Beregond and his son remained behind, unable to contain their joy. As he followed Gandalf and shut the door Pippin heard Ioreth exclaim:  
  
"King! Did you hear that? What did I say? The hands of a healer, I said." And soon the word had gone out from the House that the king was indeed come among them, and after war he brought healing; and the news ran through the City.  
  
*~*~*  
  
But Aragorn came to Èowyn and he said: "Here there is a grievous hurt and a heavy blow. The arm that was broken has been tended with due skill, and it will mend in time, if she has the strength to live. It is the shield- arm that is maimed; but the chief evil comes through the sword-arm. In that there now seems no life, although it is unbroken.  
  
"Alas! For she was pitted against a foe beyond the strength of her mind or body. And those who will take a weapon to such an enemy must be sterner than steel, if the very shock shall not destroy them. It was an evil doom that set her in his path. For she is a fair maiden, fairest lady of a house of queens. And yet I know not how I should speak of her. When I first looked on her and perceived her unhappiness, it seemed to me that I saw a white flower standing straight and proud, shapely as a lily, and yet knew that it was hard, as if wrought by elf-wrights out of steel. Or was it maybe, a frost that had turned its sap to ice, and so it stood, bittersweet, still fair to see, but stricken, soon to fall and die? Her malady begins far back before this day, does it not, Eomer?"  
  
"I marvel that you should ask me, lord," he answered. "For I hold you blameless in this matter, as in all else; yet I knew not that Èowyn, my sister was touched by any frost, until she first looked on you. Care and dread she had, and shared with me, in the days of Wormtongue and the king's bewitchment, and she tended the king in growing fear. But that did not bring her to this pass!"  
  
"My friend," said Gandalf, "you had horses, and deeds of arms, and the free fields; but she, born in the body of a maid, had a spirit and courage at least the match of yours. Yet she was doomed to wait upon an old man, whom she loves as a father, and watch him falling into a mean dishonored dotage; and her part seemed to her more ignoble than that of the staff her leaned on.  
  
"Think you that Wormtongue had poison only for Theoden's ears? Dotard! What is the house of Eorl but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek, and their brats roll on the floor among their dogs? Have you not heard those words before? Saruman spoke them, the teacher of Wormtongue. Though I do not doubt that Wormtongue at home wrapped their meaning in terms more cunning. My lord, if your sister's love for you, and her will still bent to her duty, had not restrained her lips, you might have heard even such things as these escape them. But who knows what she spoke to the darkness, alone, in the bitter watches of the night, when all her life seemed shrinking, and the walls of her bower closing in about her, a hutch to trammel some wild thing in?"  
  
Then Eomer was silent, and looked on his sister, as if pondering anew all the days of their past life together. But Aragorn said: "I saw also what you saw, Eomer. Few other griefs amid the ill chances of this world have more bitterness and shame for a man's heart than to behold the love of a lady so fair and brave that cannot be returned. Sorrow and pity have followed me ever since I left her desperate in Dunharrow and rode to the Paths of the Dead; and no fear upon that way was so present as the fear for what might befall her. And yet, Eomer, I say to you that she loves you more truly than me; for you she loves and knows; but in me she loves only a shadow and a thought: a hope of glory and great deeds, and lands far from the fields of Rohan.  
  
"I have, maybe, the power to heal her body, and to recall her from the dark valley. But to what she will awake: hope, or forgetfulness, or despair, I do not know. And if to despair, then she will die, unless other healing comes which I cannot bring. Alas! For her deeds have set her among the queens of great renown."  
  
Then Aragorn stooped and looked in her face, and it was indeed white as a lily, cold as frost, and hard as graven stone. But he bent and kissed her on the brow, and called her softly, saying:  
  
"Èowyn Èomund's daughter, awake! For your enemy has passed away!"  
  
She did not stir, but now she began again to breathe deeply, so that her breast rose and fell beneath the white linen of the sheet. Once more Aragorn bruised two leaves of athelas and cast time into steaming water; and he laved her brow with it, and her right arm lying cold and nerveless on the coverlet.  
  
Then, whether Aragorn had indeed some forgotten power of Westernesse, or whether it was but his words of the Lady Èowyn that wrought on them, as the sweet influence of the herb stole about the chamber it seemed to those who stood by that a keen wind blew through the window, and it bore no scent, but was an air wholly fresh and clean and young, as if at had not before been breathed by any living thing and came new-made from snowy mountains high beneath the dome of stars, or form shores of silver far away washed by seas of foam.~  
  
"Awake Èowyn, Lady of Rohan!" said Aragorn again, and he took her right hand in his and felt it warm with life returning. "Awake! The shadow is gone and all darkness is washed clean!" Then he laid her hand in Eomer's and stepped away. "Call her!" he said, and he passed silently from the chamber, deciding to go back and tend Lalaith after Merry.  
  
~"Èowyn, Èowyn!" cried Eomer amid his tears. But she opened her eyes and said: "Eomer! What joy is this? For they said that you were slain. Nay, but that was only the dark voices in my dream. How long have I been dreaming?"  
  
"Not long, my sister," said Eomer. "But think no more on it!"  
  
"I am strangely weary," she said. "I must rest a little. But tell me, what of the Lord of the Mark? Alas! Do not tell me that that was a dream; for I know that it was not. He is dead as he foresaw."  
  
"He is dead," said Eomer, "but he bade me say farewell to Èowyn, dearer than daughter. He lies now in great honor in the Citadel of Gondor."  
  
"That is grievous," she said. "And yet it is good beyond all that I dared hope in the dark days, when it seemed that the House of Èorl was sunk in honor less than any shepherd's cot. And what of the king's esquire, the Halfling? Eomer, you shall make him a knight of the Riddermark, for he is valiant!"  
  
"He lies nearby in this House, and I will go to him," said Gandalf. "Eomer shall stay here for a while. But do not speak yet of war or woe, until you are made whole again. Great gladness it is to see you wake again to health and hope, so valiant a lady!"  
  
"To health?" said Èowyn. "It may be so. At least while there is an empty saddle of some fallen Rider that I can fill, and there are deeds to do. But to hope? I do not know."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Gandalf and Pippin came to Merry's room, and there they found Aragorn standing by the bed. "Poor old Merry!" cried Pippin, and he ran to the bedside, for it seemed to him that his friend looked worse and a greyness was in his face, as if a weight of years of sorrow lay on him; and suddenly a fear seized Pippin that Merry would die.  
  
"Do not be afraid," said Aragorn. "I came in time, and I have called him back. He is weary now, and grieved, and he has taken a hurt like the Lady Èowyn, daring to smite that deadly thing. But these evils can be amended, so strong and gay a spirit is in him. His grief he will not forget; but it will not darken his heart, it will teach him wisdom."  
  
Then Aragorn laid his hand on Merry's head, and passing his hand gently through the brown curls, he touched the eyelids, and called him by name. And when the fragrance of athelas stole through the room, like the scent of orchards, and of heather in the sunshine full of bees, suddenly Merry awoke, and he said:  
  
"I am hungry. What is the time?"  
  
"Past supper-time now," said Pippin; "though I daresay I could bring you something, if they will let me."~  
  
Aragorn stood up silently and walked out of the room heading back to care for Lalaith.  
  
He leaned down and kissed her forehead then took her hand in his and called to her. "Lalaith Rana, Lady of the Golden Woods, daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn, return from the world of shadow."  
  
Lalaith did not stir.  
  
"Alas, she is further than I thought. I may not have the strength.  
  
Aragorn broke the last two athelas leaves and sprinkled them into the steaming water. He dipped a cloth in it and bathed her brow.  
  
Still she made neither sound nor hint of awakening.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
a/n: Poor Lalaith. I feel sorry for torturing her this much. She knew that she might die though. Elrond warned her.  
  
THIS STORY ISN'T DONE YET. There will at least be an epilogue.  
  
And for those of you who are wondering about the necklace thing and the melamin (my love), it will all be explained later. Trust me, even if you hate me because of this chapter. It seems like most of you liked Lalaith. When she says melamin though, she isn't talking of anyone that is on Middle- earth now. If that clears anything up (or just confuses people more.) I like torturing my readers as much as my characters.  
  
Secrets in the Darkness: Thanks! Your Inu fic is great! You're welcome for reviewing. It's the least I can do since you're such a good reviewer for mine! I love Inu/Kag fics, so it's not like I didn't enjoy reading it. Yeah, I had the first 4 or 5 chapters of this written beforehand, and lately, it was freehand, so I understand the short chapters. I should be able to update at least one more time before the 20th. If I don't, I hope you have fun in Washington State with your aunt. I'll have to check your story. Long response. Thanks again! You'll probably hate me now.  
  
Rayame325: Thank you! I don't think you've read most of this. I'm not sure if I got your other reviews. I think I did... I don't know, if I have a review response to you, then I got them. ; )  
  
Emiliana Keladry: It's longer now. Thanks for the suggestion... not. Thank you! You know something... ; )  
  
Anastasia Who: Thanks for the suggestion! You're the only person who gave me one. I used the part where she talks to Elrond. That was a good idea. 


	8. Awakening

Chapter 8: Awakening  
  
"Lalaith!" Haldir exclaimed, rushing into the room. "How is she? What happened?"  
  
"She has Black Breath. It's worse than I first thought and I am spent. I am not sure that I will be able to save her."  
  
"What of Èowyn? She had it also, did she not?"  
  
"Yes, she had it also, but I healed her after Faramir, she was not as far gone as Lalaith, she also had someone she loved and that loved her to call her back. Lalaith doesn't respond to me."  
  
"Let me try," Haldir suggested. "Elves are natural healers and I owe my life to her."  
  
"You may try. Call to her."  
  
"Lalaith! Lalaith, come back! Please, come back!"  
  
The elf maiden showed no sign of returning to the living world.  
  
"Can you do nothing else?" Legolas asked his longtime friend.  
  
"I am afraid not, Legolas. She is too far-gone for me to call her back. She needs one she cares deeply for."  
  
Legolas looked down at her motionless body and sighed. He picked up her hand and started talking, not caring anymore that he had a few spectators.  
  
"Lalaith, amin hiraetha," he said, showing emotion for the first time in a few years. (I'm sorry.) He continued in elvish, "I shouldn't have questioned your ability to fight. You are just as skilled as I am, if not more."  
  
Aragorn and Haldir left their friend to say his last goodbyes. Eomer also let Legolas have some privacy. The only other person in the room was sleeping.  
  
"I wish I would have told you before. Please believe me. If you die, I believe that I will follow close behind. I do not care if I should not say this. I know my heart will keep me to my pledge. Amin mela lle, Lalaith," he vowed, tears spilling from his eyes and falling onto her gray face. (I love you, Lalaith.) "Please come back. Open your eyes, I beg of you."  
  
He slowly leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on her lips.  
  
Suddenly he felt himself pulled forward, only his body didn't move. He blinked and when he opened his eyes, all was dark.  
  
At the edge of his vision he saw her, beautiful, clothed in a white dress, heading away from him, towards a door.  
  
"If you want her, you'll have to fight for her." The horrible voice resonated in his head.  
  
"Who are you?" Legolas demanded.  
  
"I am the Witch King of Angmar. Your beloved slew me, now I am killing her."  
  
"Let her go! If you must take someone, take me."  
  
"I would, happily, but I doubt you would sacrifice yourself unnecessarily. There is only one way that I will release her. You must do what she did."  
  
"Is it possible for you to die again?"  
  
"Yes. I am as alive now as I was then, there is only one difference."  
  
"I cannot see you."  
  
"I am not wearing my cloak," he agreed.  
  
"How can I possibly slay you if I cannot see you?"  
  
"I do not know. You may turn around now and leave her here to die, which we will also if you are not fast enough, or you can fight and take her back with you if you win."  
  
"And if I lose?"  
  
"You take my place in death and I return to the living."  
  
"Either way, I win because I get to be with her. Prepare to fight," the elf challenged. "Lalaith, wait for me!" (a/n: Too bad this isn't Wait for Me. The title would make sense.)  
  
He drew his daggers, ready for the wraith's attack, only it did not come.  
  
"Will you not fight?"  
  
"If I unsheathed my sword it would be quite easy for you to see me."  
  
Legolas jumped in the direction of the voice.  
  
"Very good, you have learned."  
  
His elvish hearing would help him, even if it hurt him. The terrible voice was killing his sensitive ears. He could just barely hear the King's footsteps.  
  
"Prepare to die!" He lunged again, this time striking something.  
  
Blood spurted out of the Witch King's wound.  
  
"I suppose I had best draw my sword now that you can see me."  
  
A sword appeared out of the shadow.  
  
"Are you ready to meet your death? You can never go back! Only one elf as," the voice laughed.  
  
"Luthien," Legolas breathed. "I will not meet the same fate as she!"  
  
And with a look at Lalaith's quickly diminishing back, he attacked.  
  
Never had anyone battled as fiercely as the elf and wraith did then. Both wished for life, yet only one could attain it.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Aragorn and Haldir reentered the room to find Legolas on his knees, Lalaith's hand still clasped in his own.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"You are a fool. You have no chance of winning," the Witch King taunted.  
  
"You do not know love. Love conquers all, evil included!"  
  
Legolas lashed out with the last of his strength, his blades flashing. The wraith could do nothing other than defend himself. He got one stroke in. It cut the elf across the chest in a diagonal line from his right shoulder to his left stomach.  
  
Legolas looked up, his blue eyes furious. "I will kill you!" he told the invisible body.  
  
With one lightning fast stroke, he cut its head off. The Mordor blade dropped from the hand and clattered to the floor.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Legolas!" Aragorn exclaimed, rushing to his friend. He had caught sight of the pool of blood collecting around his legs.  
  
"Haldir, fetch some water and bandages, quickly! Legolas is hurt!"  
  
Haldir left the room and returned quickly with the supplies Aragorn had requested.  
  
"Help me get him to that bed. We must act quickly!"  
  
The two of them pried his hand away from Lalaith's and laid him on the bed Aragorn bathed his wound and quickly bandaged it.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Right after he delivered the fatal blow, he felt himself jerked back into reality.  
  
He opened his eyes slowly to see Aragorn and Haldir standing over him, looking quite worried.  
  
"What are you doing?! No!" He moved to go back to Lalaith but was restrained.  
  
"Nay, my friend, you must stay here and rest. There is nothing you can do for Lalaith now."  
  
"But, you do not understand! I can save her! If you had not disconnected me she would be her now! Let me go! If she dies, so do I!"  
  
"No, Legolas. You mustn't. You are badly injured. Stay there," Aragorn ordered. "Haldir stay here and make sure he doesn't get up."  
  
"Yes, Estel."  
  
Legolas did the only thing he could for Lalaith, talk, or rather, sing.  
  
"Lay down  
  
Your sweet and weary head  
  
Night is falling  
  
You have come to journey's end  
  
*  
  
Sleep now  
  
Dream—of the ones who came before  
  
They are calling  
  
From across a distant shore  
  
*  
  
Why do you weep?  
  
What are these tears upon your face?  
  
Soon you will see  
  
All of your fears will pass away  
  
*  
  
Safe in my arms  
  
You're only sleeping  
  
*  
  
What can you see  
  
On the horizon?  
  
Why do the white gulls cry?  
  
*  
  
Across the sea  
  
A pale moon rises  
  
The ships have come  
  
To carry you home  
  
*  
  
And all will turn to silver glass  
  
A light on the water  
  
All souls pass  
  
*  
  
Hope fades  
  
Into the world of night  
  
Through shadows falling  
  
Out of memory and time  
  
*  
  
Don't say  
  
We have come not to the end  
  
White shores are calling  
  
You and I will meet again  
  
*  
  
And you'll be here in my arms  
  
Just sleeping  
  
*  
  
What can you see  
  
On the horizon?  
  
Why do the white gulls call?  
  
*  
  
Across the sea  
  
A pale moon rises  
  
The ships have come  
  
To carry you home  
  
*  
  
And all will turn to silver glass  
  
A light on the water  
  
Grey ships pass  
  
Into the West  
  
*  
  
"I do hope that you are not planning on taking any of those ships into the west for a while," Lalaith said tiredly.  
  
"Lalaith! You're back!" Haldir cried.  
  
"Yes, I am. Diola lle, Legolas. I owe you my life." She slipped into a natural slumber, her elvish eyes open.  
  
"Quel este, melamin," Legolas whispered, almost silently, before he too, fell asleep. (Sleep well, my love.)  
  
*~*~*  
  
Aragorn and Gandalf went now to the Warden of the Houses of Healing, and they counseled him that Faramir, Èowyn, and Lalaith should remain there and still be tended with care for many days.  
  
"The ladies," said Aragorn, "will wish soon to rise and depart; but they should not be permitted to do so, if you can in any way restrain them, until at least ten days be passed."  
  
~"As for Faramir," said Gandalf, "he must soon learn that his father is dead. But the full tale of the madness of Denethor should not be told to him, until he is quite healed and has duties to do. See that Beregond and the perian who were present do not speak to him of these things yet!"  
  
And the other perian, Meriadoc, who is under my care, what of him?" said the Warden.  
  
"It is likely that he will be fit to arise tomorrow, for a short while," said Aragorn. "Let him do so, if he wishes. He may walk a little in the care of his friends."  
  
"They are a remarkable race," said the Warden, nodding his head. "Very tough in the fiber, I deem."  
  
At the doors of the Houses many were already gathered to see Aragorn, and they followed after him; and when at last he had supped, men came and prayed that he would heal their kinsmen or their friends whose lives were in peril through hurt or wound, or who lay under the Black Shadow. And Aragorn arose and went out, and he sent for the sons of Elrond, and together they labored far into the night. And word went through the City: "The King is come again indeed." And they named him Elfstone, because of the green stone that he wore, and so the name which it was foretold at his birth that he should bear was chosen for him by his own people.  
  
And when he could labor no more, he cast his cloak about him and slipped out of the City, and went to his tent just ere dawn and slept for a little. And in the morning the banner of Dol Amroth, a white ship like a swan upon blue water, floated from the Tower, and men looked up and wondered if the coming of the King had been but of a dream.~  
  
But the sons of Elrond, Elrohir and Elladan did not grow tired as quickly, for they were elves and did not need as much sleep. They healed until after dawn, until the day grew light. Then they did not go to their tents, but to see their aunt, whom they had heard fought, but had not seen.  
  
"Lalaith! Is it truly you?" the two dark-haired elves asked, walking over to her bed.  
  
"Elladan, Elrohir! Yes, it really is me. It is good to see you again nephews. You have grown much since I last saw you."  
  
"As have you," Elrohir joked. "You are only one hundred years older than us, Lalaith."  
  
"We had been told that you were gone. Dead or in the Grey Havens," Elladan said.  
  
"Nay. I may have passed out of legend, but not Middle-earth!" she laughed.  
  
"Grandmother and Grandfather will be happy to hear this news!"  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Legolas, please, I'm fine! Let me get up. I need to be doing something, I need to be useful! This isn't being useful, this is being trapped."  
  
"You are under strict orders to stay in bed. You need to be fully healed. Aragorn ordered that you, Èowyn, and Faramir stay in bed for at least ten days, longer if possible."  
  
"Go get me Aragorn then. I'm going to get out of here if it's the last thing I do!"  
  
Legolas left to fetch Estel for his love, wishing that he didn't have to deny her anything.  
  
He walked slowly down to Aragorn's tent, arriving there just as Prince Imrahil and Gandalf were leaving.  
  
"What were you discussing?" he questioned.  
  
"We decided that we will march upon Mordor in two days time. Why did you come to see me?" he asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Lalaith wants to get out of bed. I told her she could not because you said that she should not, she now wants to talk with you."  
  
"She can't. She'll hurt herself more and delay her healing. Her arm still doesn't have feeling in it."  
  
"I know that, but she won't listen to me."  
  
Aragorn sighed. "I would really rather not enter the City again."  
  
"I know that, but I fear that if you don't she will not listen to what we say."  
  
"I will visit her later tonight. I have many things to plan in the next two days, and that way I will not be so recognizable. Try to keep her in bed until then."  
  
"Of course. Thank you."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Lalaith, you must stay in bed, at least until you have regained the feeling in your arm."  
  
"I must do nothing! You cannot tell me what to do. I refuse to stay in bed for much longer!"  
  
"You have been acting like a child since you joined us. You won't do a thing you are told to, even if it is in your best interest! I'm getting tired of it!"  
  
"I do not act like a child! Every time I have not listened to you it has paid off!"  
  
"Not really. If you had listened to Legolas and myself you wouldn't have been injured. You would be able to be up and around now, but you chose not to. It is your own fault that you are in bed, not mine or anyone else's."  
  
"But—"  
  
"No buts. The discussion is over. I just feel sorry for the Warden two days from now."  
  
"And why is that?"  
  
"He'll have to listen to you complaining."  
  
"Why? Will you not be here?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Where will you be?"  
  
"You need some sleep, as do I. Get some rest so that you can heal faster. And if I don't see you tomorrow, be nice to the Warden, he's only following orders."  
  
"Where are you going?" Lalaith demanded, as Aragorn closed the door. "You could at least answer my question," she muttered after him.  
  
[Where is he going? Who's going with him? What are they going to do?]  
  
*~*~*  
  
Lalaith woke up in the morning when someone opened the door to the room she and Èowyn shared.  
  
"Good morning, ladies," Eomer greeted, walking in. "How are you two feeling?"  
  
"Bored out of my mind," Lalaith answered.  
  
"And you, Èowyn?" he asked his sister.  
  
"Feeling better, but I do wish that they would let us at least walk around."  
  
"There aren't many days left, only a mere week until you are allowed to get out of bed."  
  
"And yet, it has only been three days and we are getting restless. Only think what it will be like in double that time," Lalaith pointed out.  
  
"I wish that I could stay to give you company throughout the week, but I came to say goodbye, for I am leaving tomorrow with Lord Aragorn."  
  
"What will you do?"  
  
"We march upon Mordor to draw the Dark Lord's eye off of Frodo to give him more of a chance to destroy the Ring."  
  
"You are going to war again?" Èowyn asked, knowing that she had another chance to lose her brother.  
  
"Yes. We need to. Gandalf senses that Frodo is nearing Orodruin. We need to give him the opportunity."  
  
[This is my perfect chance to get out of here!] Lalaith thought happily. [I can wear the armor of the Rohirrim so they will not recognize me and then after the battle, I will just slip away. I do not want to have to face them again.]  
  
Eomer stayed for a few minutes discussing the details of their journey and telling them news of the City.  
  
"Has Legolas been to see you since yesterday?" he asked right before he left.  
  
"No, I have not seen him. Why?"  
  
"I just wondered how things were between you two. I know how he feels about you, but how do you feel about him?"  
  
"He's a really good friend. It's nice to be able to talk to someone who understands the stress of being elven royalty."  
  
"Interesting. I suppose I'll see you two when we return from Mordor."  
  
"If they return," Èowyn muttered sadly after her brother had left.  
  
"Èowyn, you are right, they might not survive. If they do not come back, I am sure Sauron will not stop there. He will send orcs here to wreak havoc upon all the lands. You will not have the aid of the elves much longer. They are leaving. They will not stay here if so many of them are being killed."  
  
"But... you, Legolas, Imrahil... you'll still help us, right?"  
  
"I know that I will, and Legolas probably. I do not know Imrahil well enough to say. Elladan and Elrohir, my nephews, and Elrond's sons, I think they'd at least like to stay. Elrond may not want them to though."  
  
"You are all royalty, won't some of your people follow you?"  
  
"The others, maybe, but my people think of me more as a legend than a real person. I have not been home for more than a century."  
  
"How can you stand that?"  
  
There was a quiet knock on the door before it opened to show Legolas standing there.  
  
"Excuse me. I did not mean to interrupt anything, but I need to speak with Lalaith."  
  
"Of course. You didn't interrupt anything. I'd leave if they'd let me."  
  
"Lalaith, as you probably know already, the survivors that are able are going to march on Mordor tomorrow. I am going. You are not. You have listened to me only once before. Please listen to me now."  
  
"I always listen to you. I do not necessarily obey you. Do you really think that I would be foolish enough to leave with you? I still cannot move my arm. It is my sword arm. How could I hope to fight? I cannot even draw my bow."  
  
"To answer your first question, yes, I do think that you would be foolish enough to follow us, which is why we decided to have a guard posted by the door. If you try to leave once, he will be moved into the room."  
  
"Legolas," Lalaith cried, exasperated. "That would be improper!"  
  
"Which is why you had best not try to escape."  
  
"I will not try to escape."  
  
"Do you swear?"  
  
"Yes, I swear by the Valar that I will not try to escape. Is there anything else?"  
  
"Actually, there is. I have heard from Eomer what you said. I wanted to make sure that we understand each other before I leave. You do know that I may not return."  
  
"Of course I know that. There is a very high chance of you not making it back. I only wish to would be able to go to protect my friends."  
  
"And that would include me?"  
  
"Yes, Legolas. You are one of my good friends."  
  
"Well, now that I know how you feel about me, I suppose you deserve to know my feelings for you."  
  
"You do not need to tell me if you would rather not."  
  
"Amin mela lle, Lalaith. Now I can leave and have no regrets."  
  
"You mean leave as in to the Grey Havens, right?" Èowyn burst in.  
  
"I may. I must go now. I must prepare to leave."  
  
"Legolas..." Lalaith trailed off, but Legolas ignored her and just walked out the door. She broke down in tears as she realized what she had just done. She had let her second true love walk through the door to almost certain death, giving him nothing to survive for, exactly as she had done before.  
  
"Lalaith, don't cry. I'm sure he knows how you feel," Èowyn comforted her friend.  
  
"I do not think he does. I have not given him a single reason for him to know the truth."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Legolas made his way out of the Houses of Healing, his heart breaking more with every step he took.  
  
[What did I do wrong? I did everything I could to protect her.]  
  
When he reached his tent outside the toppled outer wall, he did something he had never done before, he cried. He cried for his mother and father, knowing he would never see them again. He cried for his people, for they would have no heir to the throne. He cried for his friends, and those who had died. But most of all, he cried for Lalaith, knowing that his love for her would never be returned.  
  
"Oi, Elf," a gruff voice said from his tent flap. "What's bothering you?"  
  
"Nothing, Gimli," Legolas replied, trying to force his voice to sound normal.  
  
"You don't sound like nothing's the matter."  
  
He obviously had not succeeded.  
  
"Gimli, please, I need time to myself."  
  
"I think you need to have a long talk with Aragorn or Lalaith, although the latter might not be a very uplifting conversation."  
  
"What did you come here for, Gimli?" Legolas questioned.  
  
"I wondered if you think we will need to pack anything, since, as you know, we have a very slim chance of making it out alive."  
  
"You should at least pack food for the trip, unless you would rather starve and let me win the competition for once," Legolas tried to joke.  
  
"I'll never let a pointy-ear outscore me!" he exclaimed.  
  
"I'm afraid one already has. When La—Lalaith and I talked, she told me that she had heard us counting our kills and decided to join in but didn't shout out her score, figuring that it would give her away."  
  
"So... I lost?"  
  
"I am afraid so, Gimli."  
  
*~*~*  
  
That night while Èowyn was sleeping, Lalaith snuck out of bed, using her silence as an elf to aid her with her plan.  
  
She found a few dresses that the women of the City had given her and Èowyn, thinking all the time about how hard it would be for her to fight without one arm and how in the world she was going to be able to get her armor on without help.  
  
Lalaith then moved carefully over to the window and peeked outside.  
  
[They must have a lot on their minds if they forgot to post a guard by the window, especially since this is in back on the ground floor.]  
  
She made her way stealthily to the armory, passing only a few unsuspecting night wanderers, none of who questioned the lady on a midnight stroll. Her hair was down, covering her ears and she kept her head bowed low so that no one could recognize her or tell that she was an elf maiden with her fair face.  
  
The people of Gondor must have had a farewell celebration, or the guard had one himself, for he was out cold.  
  
The armor of the fallen Rohirrim was being stored, for the moment, in the Gondorian armory, so she picked the suit that would fit and hide her identity the best. "Lalaith..." Gandalf said, coming up behind her.  
  
a/n: This was a long chapter. 9 pages, not double spaced. Be happy. I updated faster than normal! And, I DIDN'T KILL LALAITH!, yet... I don't think...  
  
Rayame325: Thank you! Yeah, I didn't think you'd read it before. I'll try to update soon so that you can read more. Good luck tonight! (It's Saturday. Krista wants me to tell you she misses you already. LOL)  
  
Secrets in the Darkness: I'm glad you don't hate me. I didn't kill off Lalaith, though, she may get into a bit of trouble. Don't worry, Legolas and Lalaith will kiss, but I won't specify when or where. I updated before the 20th! Well, I probably won't update before then again, so you've got a cliffhanger over your vacation! Ha ha.  
  
Emiliana Keladry: I don't know why I'm even doing this, since you're sitting right here next to me, but I'll do it just for the heck of it. Thank you. I know I was cruel, but it's fun to be cruel, you're cruel every once in a while. You murderer! I updated soon!  
  
Anastasia Who: Thank you. I wasn't normally going to put Lalaith saying "I am a man" because I like Èowyn saying that too, but I decided to because I wasn't going to put much of Èowyn's fight in there. I didn't kill her.  
  
Lainfaer: Yes, Lalaith is cool. She's my favorite character. I DIDN'T KILL LALAITH! Thanks.  
  
Just so everyone knows, I was in my play last night and tonight. We messed it up horribly last night. I hope it goes better tonight. Wish me luck. (Today is Saturday.) Bye! 


	9. The Field of Cormallen

Chapter 9: Field of Cormallen  
  
"You really mean to go through with this then?"  
  
"Gandalf..." she sighed.  
  
"Lalaith, I want very much to forbid you to go. You cannot move your arm, you aren't yet fully healed... but my heart tells me you have a very important part to play yet. It tells me also, that you will die."  
  
"I would rather die for good than live in times of evil."  
  
"But you could sail—"  
  
"Sauron would not stop with Middle-earth. He is a Maia (isn't he? He's something like that. I started reading the Silmarillion, but didn't have enough time to finish it yet so please correct me if I'm wrong.); he can go to the Undying Lands. I have been to and from death, it is not something that I cannot bear."  
  
"I have no doubt that you could handle it. I am more concerned about Legolas. Even if he survives the War of the Ring, if you die, so will he."  
  
"So you have talked to him?"  
  
"No. I could see it in his eyes ever since he met you. He hid it very well, but every day he spends with you, his love for you grows."  
  
"Yet he does not know that I love him also. He is going to Mordor and he will not come back if I do not convince him to do otherwise. He will fade, I believe, if I cannot tell him that I love him."  
  
"When will you be able to do that? He may go in to say goodbye in the morning. He will not expect a rider of Rohan to confess their love for him."  
  
Lalaith laughed. "I have not quite planned that far ahead, I admit. Perhaps... you could help me?"  
  
"Well, I know that they will be doing a check tomorrow morning for you. When they find you gone, they will quickly inform Aragorn. I will be sure to ride with him. Make sure to be on the left. I shall propose that we split, to make the search go faster. I will check the right. If Legolas goes along, be in the back, left side."  
  
"Thank you so much, Gandalf. I appreciate everything that you are doing for me. I have two last requests. One, could you help me arm? I am not sure how I will do it by myself."  
  
"Of course. I will do that now. You will need to stay in here for the remainder of the night then. What is the second?"  
  
"I have written letters to everyone. They are in my room, under my pillow. Would you please take them with you, so that if I do die, you can distribute them as soon as possible?"  
  
"I will do that for you."  
  
"Do not look at them other than taking them from beneath my pillow. If I survive, then I will get them from you after the battle."  
  
"Come, let's get you suited."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Gandalf crept quietly into Lalaith's room. He found the letters easily. There was one for most people involved in the quest, along with her family, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Merry, Pippin, Frodo, Sam, Haldir, Eomer, Èowyn, Theoden, himself, Galadriel, Celeborn, Elrond, Arwen, Elrohir, and Elladan.  
  
Lalaith stayed the rest of the night in the armory, only leaving once other men started coming in. She made her way to the stables. She was lucky; no one was in there.  
  
"Isilme, I am sorry. I will not be taking you with me this time. I do not want anyone to be able to recognize me. I am sure that on the chance that I will not come back, someone will take very good care of you."  
  
She went into the stable next to Isilme's. Lalaith found a good horse that was free for the taking. "I hope you do not mind me riding you. I would take my own horse, but someone would recognize me."  
  
The stallion whinnied and nuzzled her shoulder with his head.  
  
"You won't want to be taking him, sir. He's wild. Doesn't let anyone ride him," the stable hand told her.  
  
Lalaith tried her hardest to sound halfway like a man. "He does not seem to mind me."  
  
"Well, if you want to..." He left.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"My lord!" a messenger cried, running up to Aragorn. "She's gone! She's no longer in the room with Èowyn!"  
  
"Lalaith!" Elessar roared. "I'm going to find her if it's the last thing I do! I'll not have her leaving with us!"  
  
"Why don't we split up? That way we can find her faster. I'll check this side," he pointed to the left, "Aragorn, you check right, and Legolas, check the men straight ahead," Gandalf suggested.  
  
The three of them separated. Aragorn and Legolas ordered everyone they checked to take off their helmets at the same time, Gandalf, however, went one-by-one. Aragorn and Legolas, of course did not find the disobedient elf.  
  
"It's me, Gandalf," Lalaith whispered when he came to her.  
  
"Move to take off your helmet, but do not lift it. I do not wish anyone to see you."  
  
She did as she was told. After he had checked everyone else, Gandalf rode up to speak with Aragorn and Legolas.  
  
"I didn't find her," Aragorn informed the other two.  
  
"Nor I," Legolas added.  
  
"Gandalf?"  
  
"I found her and sent her back to the Houses of Healing with an escort."  
  
"I am going to speak with her. Will you join me, Aragorn?"  
  
"No, we do not have time for this. We must hurry. He is getting closer and closer every minute we linger. Come, we must ride."  
  
"I will speak with her when we return," Legolas said.  
  
"That is fine. Now, we must ride."  
  
"Sound the trumpets!" Aragorn ordered.  
  
~At last the trumpets rang and the army began to move. Troop by troop, and company by company, they wheeled and went off eastward.~  
  
Before noon of that day they reached Osgiliath. Everyone who could be spared to help clean the city did.  
  
Five miles after that they halted, ending their first day's march. Those who were riding horses went ahead, yet Lalaith remained behind, knowing that the less time she spend with Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, the less chance she had of being found out.  
  
*~*~*  
  
They reached the Black Gate on the sixth or seventh day, Lalaith had lost count.  
  
~The two vast iron doors of the Black Gate under its frowning arch were fast closed. Upon the battlement nothing could be seen. All was silent but watchful. They were come to the last end of their folly, and stood forlorn and chill in the grey light of early day before towers and walls which their army could not assault with hope, not even if it had brought thither engines of great power, and the Enemy had no more force than would suffice for the manning of the gate and wall alone. Yet they knew that all the hills and rocks about the Morannon were filled with hidden foes, and the shadowy defile beyond was bored and tunneled by teeming broods of evil things. And as they stood they saw all the Nazgûl gathered together hovering above the Towers of the Teeth like vultures; and they knew that they were watched. But still the Enemy made no sign.~  
  
At the sight of the Nazgûl, a sharp pain shot up Lalaith's arm. She gasped, but remained still. The person she was riding next to glanced in her direction, wondering what she had gasped about. She shook her head slightly to assure him that she was all right.  
  
Aragorn put together a company to go up to the Black Gate. There was Gandalf as chief herald, and Aragorn with the sons of Elrond, and Eomer of Rohan, and Imrahil; and Legolas and Gimli and Peregrin and Meriadoc were bidden to go also, so that all the enemies of Mordor should have a witness.  
  
Lalaith wished that she could go also, but knew she would not be allowed to, either in her disguise now, or as herself.  
  
They unfurled the banner and blew trumpets. Then they cried, "Come forth! Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth! Justice shall be done upon him. For wrongfully he has made war upon Gondor and wrested its lands. Therefore the King of Gondor demands that he should atone for his evils, and depart then for ever. Come forth!"  
  
There was a long silence, the horses shifted under their nervous riders, but made no sound. But when it seemed that the captains were about to turn back there were drums and horns were blown. The Black Gate opened and out of it there came an embassy from the Dark Tower.  
  
~At its head there rode a tall and evil shape, mounted upon a black horse, if horse it was; for it was huge and hideous, and its face was a frightful mask, more like a skull than a living head, and in the sockets of its eyes and in its nostrils there burned a flame. The rider was robed all in black, and black was his lofty helm; yet this was no Ringwraith but a living man. The Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dur he was, and his name is remembered in no tale; for he himself had forgotten it, and he said: "I am the Mouth of Sauron." But it is told that he was a renegade, who came of the race of those that are named the Black Numenoreans; for they established their dwellings in Middle-earth during the years of Sauron's domination, and they worshipped him, being enamored of evil knowledge. And he entered the service of the Dark Tower when it first rose again, and because of his cunning he grew ever higher in the Lord's favor; and he learned great sorcery, and knew much of the mind of Sauron; and he was more cruel than any orc.  
  
He it was that now rode out, and with him came only a small company of black-harnessed soldiery, and a single banner, black but bearing on it in red the Evil Eye. Now halting a few paces before the Captains of the West he looked them up and down and laughed.~  
  
"Is there anyone here with authority to speak with me?" he asked. "Or with the intelligence to understand me? Not you at least!" he mocked, turning to Aragorn with scorn. "It takes more to be a king than a piece of elvish glass, or a company such as this. Why, any thief of the hills can show as good a following!"  
  
Aragorn did not say anything, but he and the Mouth of Sauron engaged in a staring contest. Soon, though Aragorn did not move or put his hand on his weapon, the other retreated as if hit. "I am a herald and ambassador, and may not be attacked!" he cried.  
  
"Where there are such laws," said Gandalf, "it is also the custom for ambassadors to be less insulting. But no one has threatened you. You have nothing to fear from us until your errand is done. But unless your master has become smarter, then all his servants, including you, will be in great danger."  
  
"So!" said the Messenger. "Then you are the spokesman, old graybeard?" Have we not heard of you at whiles, and of your wanderings, ever hatching plots and mischief at a safe distance? But this time you have stuck your nose out too far, Master Gandalf; and you will see what comes to him who sets his foolish webs before the feet of Sauron the Great. I have tokens that I was bidden to show you—you especially, if you should dare to come." He signed on of his guards, and he came forward bearing a bundle wrapped in black cloths.  
  
~The Messenger put these aside, and there to the wonder and dismay of all the Captains he held up first the short sword that Sam had carried, and next a gray cloak with an elven-brooch, and last the coat of mithril-mail that Frodo had worn wrapped in his tattered garments. A blackness came before their eyes, and it seemed to them in a moment of silence that the world stood still, but their hearts were dead and their last hope gone. Pippin who stood behind Prince Imrahil sprang forward with a cry of grief.  
  
"Silence!" said Gandalf sternly, thrusting him back; but the Messenger laughed aloud.  
  
"So you have yet another of these imps with you!" he cried. "What use you find in them I cannot guess; but to send them as spies into Mordor is beyond even your accustomed folly. Still, I thank him, for it is plain that this brat at least has seen these tokens before, and it would be vain for you to deny them now."  
  
"I do not wish to deny them," said Gandalf. "Indeed, I know them all and all their history, and despite your scorn, foul Mouth of Sauron, you cannot say as much. But why do you bring them here?"  
  
"Dwarf-coat, elf-cloak, blade of the downfallen West, and spy from the little rat-land of the Shire—nay, do not start! We know it well—here are the marks of a conspiracy. Now, maybe he that bore these things was a creature that you would not grieve to lose, and maybe otherwise: one dear to you, perhaps? If so, take swift counsel with what little wit is left to you. For Sauron does not love spies, and what his fate shall be depends now on your choice."  
  
No one answered him; but he saw their faces gray with fear and the horror in their eyes, and he laughed again, for it seemed to him that his sport went well. "Good, good!" he said. "He was dear to you, I see. Or else his errand was one that you did not wish to fail? It has. And now he shall endure the slow torment of years, as long and slow as our arts in the Great Tower can contrive, and never be released, unless maybe when he is changed and broken, so that he may come to you, and you shall see what you have done. This shall surely be unless you accept my Lord's terms."  
  
"Name the terms," said Gandalf steadily, but those nearby saw the anguish in his face, and now he seemed an old and wizened man, crushed, defeated at last. They did not doubt that he would accept.  
  
"These are the terms," said the Messenger, and smiled as he eyed them one by one, "The rabble of Gondor and its deluded allies shall withdraw at once beyond the Anduin, first taking oaths never again to assail Sauron the Great in arms, open or secret. All lands east of the Anduin shall be Sauron's for ever, solely. West of the Anduin as far as the Misty Mountains and the Gap of Rohan shall be tributary to Mordor, and men there shall bear no weapons, but shall have leave to govern their own affairs. But they shall help to rebuild Isengard which they have wantonly destroyed, and that shall be Sauron's, and there his lieutenant shall dwell: not Saruman, but one more worthy of trust."  
  
Looking in the Messenger's eyes they read his thought. He was to be that lieutenant, and gather all that remained of the West under his sway; he would be their tyrant and they his slaves.  
  
But Gandalf said: "This is much to demand for the delivery of one servant: that your Master should receive in exchange what he must else fight many a war to gain! Or has the field of Gondor destroyed his hope in war, so that he falls to haggling? And if indeed we rated this prisoner so high, what surety have we that Sauron, the Base Master of Treachery, will keep his part? Where is this prisoner? Let him be brought forth and yielded to us, and then we will consider these demands."  
  
It seemed then to Gandalf, intent, watching him as a man engaged in fencing with a deadly foe, that for the taking of a breath the messenger was at a loss; yet swiftly he laughed again.  
  
"Do not bandy words in your insolence with the Mouth of Sauron!" he cried. "Surety you crave! Sauron gives none. If you sue for his clemency you must first do his bidding. These are his terms. Take them or leave them!"  
  
"These we will take!" said Gandalf suddenly. He cast aside his cloak and a white light shone forth like a sword in that black place. Before his upraised hand the foul Messenger recoiled, and Gandalf coming seized and took from him the tokens: coat, cloak, and sword. "These we will take in memory of our friend," he cried. "But as for your terms, we reject them utterly. Get you gone, for your embassy is over and death is near to you. WE did not come here to waste words in treating with Sauron, faithless and accursed; still less with one of his slaves. Be gone!"  
  
Then the Messenger of Mordor laughed no more. His face was twisted with amazement and anger to the likeness of some wild beast that, as it crouches on its prey, is smitten on the muzzle with a stinging rod. Rage filled him and his mouth slavered, and shapeless sounds of fury came strangling from his throat. But he looked at the fell faces of the Captains and their deadly eyes, and fear overcame his wrath. He gave a great cry, and turned, leaped upon his steed, and with his company galloped madly back to Cirith Gorgor. But as they went his soldiers blew their horns in signal long arranged; and even before they came to the gate Sauron sprang his trap.  
  
Drums rolled and fires leaped up. The great doors of the Black Gate swung back wide. Out of it streamed a great host as swiftly as swirling waters when a sluice is lifted. The Captains mounted again and rode back, and from the host of Mordor there went up a jeering yell. Dust rose smothering the air, as from nearby there marched up an army of Easterlings that had waited for the signal in the shadows of Ered Lithui beyond the further Tower. Down from the hills on either side of the Morannon poured Orcs innumerable. The men of the West were trapped, and soon, all about the gray mounds where they stood, forces ten times and more than ten times their match would ring them in a sea of enemies. Sauron had taken the proffered bait in jaws of steel.  
  
Little time was left to Aragorn for the ordering of his battle. Upon the one hill he stood with Gandalf, and there fair and desperate was raised the banner of the Tree and Stars. Upon the other hill hard by stood the banners of Rohan and Dol Amroth, White Horse and Silver Swan. And about each hill a ring was made facing all ways, bristling with spear and sword. But in front towards Mordor where the first bitter assault would come there stood the sons of Elrond on the left with the Dunedain about them, and on the right the Prince Imrahil with the men of Dol Amroth tall and fair, and picked men of the Tower of Guard.  
  
The wind blew, and the trumpets sang, and arrows whined; but the sun now climbing towards the South was veiled in the reeks of Mordor, and though a threatening haze it gleamed, remote, a sullen red, as if it were the ending of the day, or the end maybe of all the world of light. And out of the gathering mirk the Nazgûl came with their cold voices crying words of death; and then all hope was quenched.~  
  
"Sons of Gondor! Of Rohan! My brothers I see in your eyes the fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the Age of Men comes crashing down, but it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand Men of the West!" Aragorn shouted in a final hope to encourage his people.  
  
[It may not be the end of Men, but it may be my last day on Middle-earth. I had best make it count. I will not give in without a fight!] Lalaith thought bravely as they were being surrounded.  
  
All of the orcs attacked at once, swinging their swords aimlessly, slashing anyone in reach. Lalaith had her sword drawn in her left hand and was blocking as best she could with one hand. She had no shield because she couldn't hold it with her injured arm, which was pulsing in pain at the time from the screeching Nazgûl.  
  
Her horse, she found out, was quite the warrior stallion. Any orc who came near him that Lalaith didn't slay first, was knocked to the ground and trampled on.  
  
Lalaith ended up jumping off of her steed, finding that she could not easily stay in the saddle because of her arm.  
  
She was doing her best to kill as many orcs as possible before her time came to leave the world behind for a place of no pain.  
  
A large orc came up behind her and knocked her to the ground. Her helmet rolled off and she did not have time to pick it back up before the orc was swinging his sword at her again. She parried and reached for her helmet again, but again, the orc swung at her. She blocked and stood as quickly as she could, but as she was standing, the foul creature slashed her good arm to the bone. She screamed out in pain and made one attempt at killing the orc. She yelled and swung her sword, blood running down her sleeve, and decapitated Sauron's servant.  
  
Another orc came at her, but she collapsed, clutching her sword in her hand, before it had a chance to strike her. She saw no more.  
  
a/n: I know, I know. Lalaith isn't having very good luck. It's getting kind of repetitive, but I had to. It works with the plot, which none of you know for sure. Muahahahahaha! I'm mean. I love leaving you guys with cliffhangers. It's just so much fun! Okay, review responses:  
  
Lainfaer: Thanks for the luck! We did better the second night than we did the first, by a long shot! It was fun both nights! I don't like being fair. It's much more fun to have cliffhangers! I absolutely love it! Thanks! I left you with her dying. *pouts* I didn't want to do that... You caused me to lose a penny. Emiliana Keladry and I bet on what would get the first review. I bet on her story, cause that's usually the way it is. Oh well, I'm happy that I got the first review! Thanks!  
  
Anastasia Who: Thank you! I know. He has a hard time with Lalaith. She's mean to him for not telling him how she really feels. He will find out though. The scene with the Witch King was my favorite to write! It's just so, different than anything else that I've read. I really enjoyed it and am glad that you did too! Thanks for the luck! I think everyone wishing me luck really helped! We did better!  
  
Rayame325: You did good in the play too! Okay. Um, you need to write and update your story! I'm getting impatient! That last "chapter" was so short! Please hurry! I wanna know what happens!  
  
Emiliana Keladry: You didn't review! *pout* It was one of the first times you haven't reviewed. I'm sad now. How did you do on your test? Oh, congratulations on your job!  
  
Secrets in the Darkness: It's the 20th today, so I don't expect you to review this chapter. I did say that Legolas would kiss her; I just didn't say under what circumstances the kiss would take place... I hope you're having fun in Washington!  
  
If I'll update as soon as I get 5 reviews. If I don't get 5, then I'll probably update sometime next week. I may not update and review as quickly. I have tennis everyday after school until 5:30, which is usually when I review and things, so if I'm a little slow, forgive me. 


	10. Letters From Lalaith

Chapter 10: Letters From Lalaith  
  
Legolas was not having much better luck.  
  
He was matched against an advanced orc, the most he could do was parry the orcs attacks. The orc cut him in the stomach, giving him an almost perfect X across his stomach, crossing where the Ringwraith had cut him. Legolas swung his daggers, one on both sides, and cut of its head (a very uneven cut).  
  
He kept fighting, hoping that he would survive, knowing that he probably would not.  
  
~All about the hills the hosts of Mordor raged. The Captains of the West were foundering in a gathering sea. The sun gleamed red, and under the wings of the Nazgûl the shadows of death fell dark upon the earth. Aragorn stood beneath his banner, silent and stern, as one lost in thought of things long past or far away; but his eyes gleamed like stars that shine the brighter as the night deepens. Upon the hilltop stood Gandalf, and he was white and cold and no shadow fell on him. The onslaught of Mordor broke like a wave on the beleaguered hills, voices roaring like a tide amid the wreak and crash of arms.  
  
As if to his eyes some sudden vision had been given, Gandalf stirred; and he turned, looking back north where the skies were pale and clear. Then he lifted up his hands and cried in a loud voice ringing above the din: The Eagles are coming! And many voices answered crying: The Eagles are coming! The Eagles are coming! The hosts of Mordor looked up and wondered what this sign might mean.  
  
There came Gwaihir the Windlord, and Landroval his brother, greatest of all the Eagles of the North, mightiest of the descendants of old Thorondor, who built his eyries in the inaccessible peaks of the Encircling Mountains when Middle-earth was young. Behind them in long swift lines came all their vassals from the northern mountains, speeding on a gathering wind. Straight down upon the Nazgûl they bore, stooping suddenly out of the high airs, and the rush of their wide wings as they passed over was like a gale.  
  
But the Nazgûl turned and fled, and vanished into Mordor's shadows, hearing a sudden terrible call out of the Dark Tower; and even at that moment all the hosts of Mordor trembled, doubt clutched their hearts, their laughter failed, their hands shook and their limbs were loosed. The Power that drove them on and filled them with hate and fury was wavering, its will was removed from them; and now looking in the eyes of their enemies they saw a deadly light and were afraid.  
  
Then all the Captains of the West cried aloud, for their hearts were filled with a new hope in the midst of darkness. Out from the beleaguered hills knights of Gondor, Riders of Rohan, Dunedain of the North, close-serried companies, drove against their wavering foes, piercing the press with the thrust of bitter spears. But Gandalf lifted up his arms and called once more in a clear voice:  
  
"Stand Men of the West! Stand and wait! This is the hour of doom!"  
  
And even as he spoke the earth rocked beneath their feet. Then rising swiftly up, far above the Towers of the Black Gate, high above the mountains, a vast soaring darkness sprang into the sky, flickering with fire. The earth groaned and quaked. the Towers of the Teeth swayed, tottered, and fell down; the mighty rampart crumbled; the Black Gate was hurled in ruin; and from far away, now dim, now growing, now mounting the clouds, there came a drumming rumble, a roar, a long echoing roll of ruinous noise.  
  
"The realm of Sauron is ended!" said Gandalf. "The Ringbearer has fulfilled his Quest." And as the Captains gazed south to the Land of Mordor, it seemed to them that, black against the pall of cloud, there rose a huge shape of shadow, impenetrable, lightning-crowned, filling all the sky. Enormous it reared above the world, and stretched out towards them a vast threatening hand, terrible but impotent: for even as it leaned over them, a great wind took it, and it was all blown away, and passed; and then a hush fell.  
  
The Captains bowed their heads; and when they looked up again, behold! their enemies were flying and the power of Mordor was scattering like dust in the wind. As when death smites the swollen brooding thing that inhabits their crawling hill and holds them all in sway, ants will wander witless and purposeless and then feebly die, so the creatures of Sauron, orc or troll or beast spell-enslaved, ran hither and thither, mindless; and some slew themselves, or cast themselves in pits, or fled wailing back to hide in holes and dark lightless places far from hope. But the Men of Rhun and of Harad, Easterling and Southron, saw the ruin of their war and the great majesty and glory of the Captains of the West. And those that were deepest and longest in evil servitude, hating the West, and yet were men proud and bold, in their turn now gathered themselves for a last stand of desperate battle. But the most part fled eastward as the could; and some cast their weapons down and sued for mercy.~  
  
Gandalf left the Captains to handle the evil men. He mounted Gwaihir and went in search of Frodo and Sam, hoping that they would find them alive.  
  
*~*~*  
  
When Legolas woke, he was lying on a soft bed. Beechen boughs swung over him. The air was filled with a sweet mingled scent. He was in Ithilien.  
  
"I am alive?" he mused aloud.  
  
"Yes, Legolas," Gandalf answered him. "You are alive. If you would wait for just a moment, I need to gather some people here." The wizard stood up and walked away.  
  
When he returned Aragorn, Gimli, Merry, Pippin, Haldir, Elladan, and Elrohir were with him.  
  
"I regret to have to do this, but Lalaith wished for me to. I have gathered you all here to inform you that Lalaith is dead. I allowed her to enter battle. She has fallen. I am not sure why, but my heart persuaded me to let her. She wrote letters to all of you, and instructed me to distribute them to you in the case that she would die during this last battle. There is one here for all of you. Here you are." He handed them all a letter, or in the case of Merry and Pippin and Elladan and Elrohir, one between them.  
  
Each of them went their separate ways to read the letters that Lalaith had written to them.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Merry and Pippin wandered around until they found a deserted place to open their letter.  
  
*Merry and Pippin,  
  
Although I have only known you for a few days, what I have learned about you amazes me. The little people surely are some of the bravest in the world.  
  
Never lose your senses of humor. They are some of your best assets. You helped to cheer me anytime I saw either of you.  
  
Thank you Meriadoc and Peregrin. I am proud to have been able to know you for the short time that I did.  
  
-Lalaith Rana *  
  
"I wish that I could have known her better," Pippin told Merry.  
  
"I did know her better and I still don't know everything about her. She really cared for me, rode with me when no one else would. I wish she had survived. She did not deserve to die."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Elladan and Elrohir went to their tent to open the letter they had received from their aunt.  
  
*Elladan and Elrohir,  
  
Nephews, I wish that I could have known you two better. You remind me a lot of myself. You are adventurous and fun loving. Do not let anyone take that away from you. I do not know if you appreciate the above statement or no, but it is the truth.  
  
Thank you for visiting me in the Houses of Healing. It meant so much to me to be able to see you two again.  
  
Diola lle,  
  
-Lalaith Rana*  
  
*~*~*  
  
Haldir also went to his tent to open Lalaith's letter. His eyes we already teary, knowing of her death, she opened her letter reading what it said:  
  
*Haldir,  
  
I do not know why, but ever since I met you, you have been a great friend, well, other than locking me in the caves, I suppose.  
  
I heard from Aragorn and Legolas that you tried to call me back while I was in the Houses of Healing. Thank you for that, although it did not work.  
  
I am truly sorry that I could not have lived to get to know you better, but this was my fate. Knowing you, you probably blame yourself for not rescuing me. Do not. I knew what was going to happen if I went. That is why I wrote these letters before I left. Go on with your life. Find an elf maiden to love. You deserve it.  
  
-Lalaith Rana*  
  
*~*~*  
  
Gandalf wandered around, thinking, before he opened the letter, that he had caused her death. That he could have prevented everything from happening. Before he dug himself in even deeper, he opened her letter.  
  
*Gandalf,  
  
Thank you for everything. You have been a great help. You have led us all through many hard times. You have been a wise and caring councilor.  
  
If you have won this war, then congratulations. You have done your duty. You deserve your trip to the Undying Lands. Tell Frodo that if he wishes to, he may take my spot on the last ship. He will have to bear much pain if he does not.  
  
You did not cause my death. Do not blame yourself. There is nothing that you could have done to stop me.  
  
Diola lle, mellonamin. Diola lle.*  
  
[Lalaith, I always knew that you were perceptive, but I did not know that you could see the future. Your death was not in vain.]  
  
*~*~*  
  
Gimli leaned up against a tree, laying his axe at his side. [You just had to go and die, didn't you, Lalaith. You couldn't live. You were one of the few elves that I like, yet you died.]  
  
*Gimli,  
  
My friend, forgive me for dying before I got to know you better.  
  
Do me a favor, and make sure that Legolas does not die. You need to take him to the Glittering Caves yet, and he needs to show you Fangorn.  
  
You have been a great friend to me since the beginning, if only at the start because of my mother. I have grown to know you as one of the greatest people in Middle-earth.  
  
Thank you once again, I shall never forget you, even in death.  
  
-Lalaith Rana*  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Are you sure that you are okay?" Aragon asked Legolas before he left his friends side to read Lalaith's letter. "Yes, mellonamin. I am sure I am well enough to read Lalaith's letter by myself." "Alright my friend, but do not do anything foolish. You are still not well enough to do that." "Yes, Aragorn. I am not Lalaith. I do not do as many childish things." "I agree to that, but that's not to say that you haven't done anything childish before. I shall leave you now." Aragorn went to his tent:  
  
*Aragorn,  
  
Forgive me, I have gone and acted like a child again, and it has gotten me killed. You have been a wonderful friend, and at times, a wonderful enemy. I know that I have not been the easiest person to get along with at times, but I hope you think the same thing of me. I appreciate you supporting me. If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have been able to be here.  
  
I hope you the best with Arwen. You may tell my brother that he had best give you his blessing, if he does not, my ghost will haunt him. My niece loves you dearly. Do not feel responsible for her giving up her immortality. It was her choice and I am sure she made the right one.  
  
Please tell Legolas to hang on. I do not wish for him to die because of me.  
  
This has been the best year of my life thanks to you and the Fellowship.  
  
Diola lle.  
  
-Lalaith Rana*  
  
Aragorn blinked away his tears. [Thank you, Lalaith. I am sure that Elrond will give us his blessing. He would have a difficult time defeating you...]  
  
*~*~*  
  
Legolas was lying on the bed under the trees.  
  
[So you decided to write to tell me what a good 'friend' I was? I suppose I will honor your memory and open it, but melonin, we will not be apart for long, not that you would care...]  
  
*Legolas,  
  
I am so sorry. Please forgive me. I do not know how I could have been so naïve. I love you more than you could ever know. Do not die because of me. I wish for you to live a long and happy life. You and Gimli are meant to travel Middle-earth together. Do not let me stop you from being what you were meant to be.  
  
I want to thank you for the times we have shared together. This has been the best year of my life thanks to you and the rest of the Fellowship.  
  
If you are reading this, then I am dead. Please do me one last favor. I know that I have done nothing to deserve this, but please, find my body if you can, and return it to Lothlorien. I wish to be buried where the land will always be rich and green. If you cannot find my body, then please return to the Golden Woods with Gimli and inform my parents of my death yourself. My mother has probably already foretold this, but it would mean so much to them if you told them yourself.  
  
You meant so much to me in life. If it was not for you, I would have already been dead. I do not regret dying. It was my choice and mine alone. I knew what the consequence would most probably be. Do not hold yourself responsible for my death. You did nothing other than help me in life. I want to congratulate you for all of your achievements. And I wish for you to have one more. I want you to find someone to love. You have so much to live for and so much to give. You deserve to have someone to love you. I wish that I could have been that someone, but it seems that it was not meant to be.  
  
Do not die for me. Your people need you. Your parents need you. Gimli, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Aragorn, everyone needs you.  
  
Amin mela lle, Legolas.  
  
Forever my love,  
  
-Lalaith Rana*  
  
A tear dripped onto the letter, smudging her already smudged flowing script. [Why did you not listen to me then? If you had, you would still be alive. We could be married... I suppose you are right, the gods must not wish us to be together. I will never find anyone else to love. Never, but I will do you the favor that you asked for.]  
  
A/N: You have no clue how confused I am right now.  
  
Lainfaer: I love portraying Lalaith like that. She's normally easygoing and laid back, but if you get her mad, watch out. Sorry it took so long to update. Don't worry bout the penny. I'm just glad you reviewed!  
  
Rayame: I don't care how many reviews you get. I want you to update soon anyway! NQ! LOL.  
  
Emiliana Keladry: You know where she is. She's off in never never land.  
  
Anastasia Who: I'm sorry... I know you like Lalaith, but this just works so well.  
  
To anyone whom it may concern:  
  
If I do not update soon enough, review Rayame325's A Break In Time (you don't have to read it, just review) and blame her for making me go mad, not angry mad, crazy mad. I have too many things to do tonight. Okay, I'm gone. Hope you enjoyed it. 


	11. Finding Lalaith

Chapter 11: Finding Lalaith  
  
He folded the letter back up and tucked it inside his quiver, which he saw was lying beside his bed. He slid out of bed and went in search of Gandalf.  
  
"Legolas, you should not be out of bed."  
  
"I know, but I am wondering where Lalaith was, when she..."  
  
"She would have been with the Rohirrim. She disguised herself in their armor. Now, please go back to bed Legolas. You aren't fully recovered. Your wound could reopen anytime if you are up."  
  
"Yes, Gandalf."  
  
"Legolas turned around and went back to his bed. He quickly gathered his weapons and snuck to where the horses are picketed. He found Arod, untied him and mounted.  
  
"Legolas..." Gimli said warningly.  
  
"Sorry, Gimli. I am going and you are not going to stop me."  
  
"Where are you going?" he questioned.  
  
"To find Lalaith."  
  
"Do you have amnesia? Lalaith is dead and you are in no condition to ride."  
  
"I do not care. She asked me to in her letter and I am going to carry out her last request, even if it will smell badly."  
  
"Get down from that horse this instant, Legolas, or I'll fetch Aragorn."  
  
"I told you, Gimli. I am going to get her body. Goodbye!" he exclaimed, twisting his fingers into Arod's mane and riding off.  
  
"Aragorn!" Gimli called, running to find his friend.  
  
"What is it, Gimli?" Aragorn asked.  
  
"Legolas! He's gone! He left on Arod to find Lalaith's body. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen to me!"  
  
"Come, Gimli! We must follow him! If he rides too hard, his wound will reopen. We cannot let him die also!"  
  
The two friends dashed to where the horses where picketed, jumped on Brego, and galloped off in the same direction as Gimli had seen Legolas go.  
  
Soon Aragorn spotted Legolas in the distance. They were halfway to the field of Cormallen. And Aragorn could tell that Legolas was tiring. Arod had slowed down from a gallop to a slow trot, trying to keep his master ahorse while still getting him there as soon as possible.  
  
*~*~*  
  
[Where could she be?] Legolas thought when he reached the field with the corpses all around. [Gandalf said that she would have been with Eomer and the Rohirrim.] He looked around. [There are a lot of fallen Rohirrim over there. It is possible that she could be with them.]  
  
He guided his horse to where he saw the bodies wearing the armor of Rohan. Legolas dismounted and searched through the corpses.  
  
His elven eyes spotted someone with long, bright, blond hair; it caught his eye, because the person it was connected to was moving, ever so slightly.  
  
[Please let it be Lalaith, please.]  
  
He crouched over the body and gently moved the hair out of its face.  
  
"Lalaith! Oh, no!" he exclaimed, seeing her injured shoulder. He couldn't believe that she was still alive when he unwound the bandage at her shoulder. Her arm was cut so badly that he could see the bone.  
  
He took off his tunic and tied it around her shoulder.  
  
"Legolas! What are you doing?" Aragorn questioned, walking up behind him.  
  
"Lalaith is alive! How could you have left her here when she was still alive? She might die now! She's lost so much blood and her shoulder is cut to the bone!"  
  
"We must get her back to Ithilien. Gandalf can help her there. I'd heal her now, but I do not have any herbs. Legolas, you ride with Gimli. You're tired and won't need to hold him on. I'll keep Lalaith on Brego. Now, let us ride with all haste."  
  
The two horses rode as fast and smooth as they could back to Ithilien so that Legolas and Lalaith could be tended.  
  
"Darn," Legolas muttered.  
  
"What is it, Elf?"  
  
"My wound reopened. It is bleeding now."  
  
"How bad is it?" Gimli asked his friend.  
  
"Bad enough that if we do not get to Ithilien quickly, I will probably be unconscious by the time we arrive. Then I will not be the one trying to keep you on the horse. You'll be keeping me on."  
  
"Aragorn!" Gimli called. "Legolas' wound opened again! We need to get back very quickly!"  
  
"I'm trying Gimli! We're almost there. Hold on Legolas!"  
  
"Is there much else that I can do?"  
  
*~*~*  
  
They dismounted and left their horses to wander. Aragorn took Lalaith in his arms and carried her to his tent with Legolas and Gimli following behind him.  
  
"Gimli, fetch Gandalf, quickly!" Aragorn ordered.  
  
"No need. I am here. What do you need?"  
  
"Lalaith is still alive. She's badly wounded though, and Legolas' wound reopened. We'll need to bandage that again."  
  
"You take care of Legolas. I'll bandage Lalaith."  
  
"Okay. Gimli, go get some bandages. Many bandages," Aragorn told Gimli.  
  
The dwarf left them to gather some medical supplies.  
  
"Legolas, I'm going to need to take off your shirt to get to your wound. It's going to hurt you pretty badly."  
  
He steeled himself and Aragorn pulled the elf's shirt off over his head.  
  
Gandalf ripped off Lalaith's sleeve to spare her the embarrassment of taking off her shirt.  
  
"Oh, Elbereth. This is not good. He shoulder is cut to the bone. This will not heal quickly. I am happy that the war is over. There is no way that she could fight now. She couldn't move her right arm before, and there's no way that she could move her left arm now."  
  
Gandalf used his magic to heal the muscle and anything else that he could, but she was still bleeding and would need to stay in bed, inactive for a week at least, if not more.  
  
When Gimli returned, Aragorn wrapped Legolas' stomach in fresh bandages. Other than that, there was nothing they could do for him. Gandalf wrapped Lalaith's shoulder and made a makeshift sling to make sure that she didn't move her arm.  
  
Aragorn agreed to let Lalaith stay in his tent until she could be up and about again.  
  
Legolas stayed by Lalaith's side until Aragorn forced him to back to his own bed to rest.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Every day Legolas visited Lalaith. His chest was healed enough that he could walk.  
  
On the fifth day since Lalaith had been brought back, she awoke.  
  
"Where..."  
  
"You are in Ithilien," Legolas answered. "Gandalf gave me your letter. I went back to the field of Cormallen to find your body to take it to Lothlorien and I found you, but you were still alive. Aragorn and Gimli had followed me so we brought you back here. Gandalf tended to your wound. You won't be able to use that arm for some time."  
  
"Frodo—"  
  
"Frodo will be fine. You needn't worry about him. He and Sam have just woken today."  
  
"So... we won?"  
  
"Yes, Lalaith. The Ring is destroyed, as is Gollum. From Sam's story, Gollum bit off Frodo's finger to get the Ring and ended up falling into Mount Doom himself, saving Frodo and all of us."  
  
Legolas looked at Lalaith and sighed. Her eyes were open, but unfocused. She had fallen asleep.  
  
[I suppose it is best if she rests. She will want to be on her feet later today if she wakes up. I had best find Gandalf and inform him that she has woken up.]  
  
He got to his feet and left to find the wizard.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Two days after Lalaith awoke the company made their way back to Minas Tirith. Lalaith rode with Aragorn considering that she still could not use either of her arms. Gimli, like usual, rode with Legolas on Arod. They rode slowly. They had many men walking behind them.  
  
It took them six to seven days to return to Minas Tirith. By the last day, Lalaith could use her dagger in her right hand, the feeling had returned in full. And she could move her left arm. She couldn't pick up anything heavy, but she was content just knowing that she was alive.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Gandalf placed the crown on Aragorn's head. "Now come the days of the King," Gandalf told the thousands of Gondorians who had gathered to watch the crowning of King Elessar. "May they be blessed."  
  
Aragorn raised his hands. "This day does not belong to one man but to all. Let us together rebuild this world that we may share in the days of peace."  
  
The crowd cheered and white petals fell from the White Tree.  
  
"Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar- metta," Aragorn sang in Quenya the song that Elendil had sung when he first landed on Middle Earth. (Out of the great sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place I will abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world.)  
  
He walked down the aisle. A group of elves approached Aragorn, led by Legolas.  
  
"Hannon le," he thanked the elf.  
  
Legolas held back a smile as he stepped aside. Elrond was standing behind him, and next to him, was a white banner. Arwen moved from behind the banner and curtsied to the king. Aragorn looked at Arwen lovingly. The two of them embraced then kissed.  
  
They walked through the crowd together. When they reached the hobbits, the four of them bowed to the King and Queen.  
  
"My friend, you bow to no one," Aragorn told the hobbits.  
  
Arwen and Aragorn bowed, along with all of the men in the crowd.  
  
Aragorn stood back up. "Now let us go to the dining hall where the feast is being prepared."  
  
The people who were invited to the banquet filed into the palace.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Aragorn, where is Lalaith?" Legolas questioned. He was sitting next to Aragorn and looking around to see if he could spot the other elf.  
  
"I haven't seen her. She should be sitting at this table. I am sure she'll be here. If she doesn't show up before the dancing starts, I'll send someone to find her. She's probably in her room to avoid this feast at all cost. You know how she hates being a lady."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Aragorn, she still is not here. At least, I have not seen her, nor has anyone else that I have spoken to. I am going to her room to find her."  
  
Legolas wound his way through the crowd of dancing people into the hallways. He was waking through the corridors quite quickly. He turned a corner sharply—  
  
"Oh, I am so sorry. I am in a hurry and did not see you. Here, let me help you up," he apologized, reaching down to help the lady up.  
  
"Legolas? What are you doing here? I thought that you would be at the banquet."  
  
"La—Lalaith? I wasn't looking where I was going. I was looking for you," Legolas answered her earlier question. "You are supposed to be with the rest of us at the feast. Come, you have already missed the feast, it is the dance now."  
  
"I suppose I could go for a while. I really dislike feasts and banquets and that sort."  
  
"I know you do, but I am going, you can also. Anyway, I doubt that many people will ask to dance with us, well, me at least. There are elven men here, but no elven ladies to ask me to dance; I have found that most mortal women stay away from elves. I am guessing that most mortal men are the same."  
  
"I hope that you are right. I do not dislike dancing, it is just that I always had to dance with so many people and I could not really turn them down," Lalaith confided in Legolas, walking down the hall towards the banquet.  
  
"I understand. I do not always want to dance with the elven maidens that ask me to, but in order to be polite and prince-like, my father tells me that I must."  
  
"That is the same with me, only my parents are here now, your father isn't. That is why I did not attend the feast. I knew that my parents would speak with me about not being 'ladylike'."  
  
"I hate to tell you this, but I do believe that you are wrong there. Your parents would be so happy to see you again that they would forget all about you being 'unladylike'."  
  
"I doubt that. Well, here we are. I suppose that he had better go in, right?"  
  
"Yes, Lalaith. If you would like, you could dance with me."  
  
"I would like that."  
  
She opened the door and walked in. One by one all eyes turned to Lalaith and Legolas. The humans looked because of the two elves and the elves to see what the Men were staring at.  
  
"Lalaith?! Is that you?" Galadriel whispered.  
  
Lalaith and Legolas walked over to where Celeborn and Galadriel were sitting.  
  
"Yes, Mother. It is I. How have you been?"  
  
"Worried sick. We believed that you were dead or that you had left to the Undying Lands without telling us. Why did you not visit us?"  
  
"I knew that you would want me to settle down and that is not what I wished to do. I am sorry. I know that you must have been worried, but I had things to do."  
  
"Things that were more important than your parents, than your sister? She left to the Undying Lands herself," Celeborn questioned.  
  
"I heard that. I was sorry that I could not have been there."  
  
"My lord, my lady, your daughter helped the quest. If it hadn't been for her, many more people would have died."  
  
"I understand that, Legolas. And we are very proud of her; it is just that we had no news of her whatsoever. We heard nothing of her for more than a century."  
  
"I hate to interrupt, but I was wondering if the lady," he gestured towards Lalaith, "would care to dance," Haldir asked.  
  
"Haldir? You are alive! Of course, Lalaith will dance with you," Celeborn answered for his daughter.  
  
"Adar, I am not a child anymore. I can make my own decisions and speak for myself."  
  
"You will dance with him, Lalaith. You know proper manners. You are a lady and will dance with anyone."  
  
"No, Adar. I will not, but I would be honored to dance with you, Haldir. Come, they just started a new song," Lalaith said hurriedly, trying to escape her parents before they chastised her any more.  
  
The two elves gracefully danced around the floor in beat with the fast paced rhythm.  
  
"My lord, my lady, why do you speak to her like that? If you wish for your daughter to come home you should make it enjoyable for her. She can take care of herself and can make her own decisions. She does not wish to go home to have lessons in how to be a lady. She does that fine by herself, as you can see," Legolas informed Galadriel and Celeborn, glancing to where Lalaith and Haldir were dancing.  
  
"It seems she is," Galadriel agreed looking at her daughter with approval glowing in her eyes. "It also seems that she is doing well in other ladylike aspects of her life."  
  
"And what aspects would those be?"  
  
"Finding as suitable husband," she said with a sly glance at Legolas, "is she not?"  
  
"My lady, you are not subtle. May I have your blessings?"  
  
"Of course, Legolas," Celeborn told the prince.  
  
"I would like to talk to Lalaith before I reply. I shall speak with you tomorrow?" Galadriel suggested.  
  
"That is fine," Legolas agreed with a smile.  
  
The song ended and Lalaith and Haldir returned to the table. The musicians started playing a slower tune.  
  
"Would you care to dance, Lalaith?" Legolas asked.  
  
"Of course, Legolas. I would enjoy that," she replied.  
  
Legolas led her onto the dance floor and held her close; not wanting to ever let her go.  
  
"I am never going to let you out of my sight again," he whispered in her ear.  
  
"Yes you are, I am going to bed tonight," Lalaith laughed.  
  
"That is true, but I will always know where you are. I am not going to risk losing you again. It hurt too much the first two times, and I have the marks to prove it!"  
  
"I feel compelled to express my gratitude to you again. You have saved my life twice now and have almost lost your life because of it."  
  
"You would do the same for me, I am sure. I love you, Lalaith. I will not let anything bad happen to you as long as I can prevent it."  
  
"Neither will I," Lalaith agreed as she snuggled closer to Legolas and laid her head on his shoulder.  
  
Legolas leaned back and looked Lalaith in her eyes. The deeper he looked, the more mystery he saw. He saw fire, wisdom, passion, intelligence, and many other things he had never noticed before, including hurt.  
  
"What is it, Legolas?"  
  
"Nothing, Lalaith." He held her closer and leaned his head on top of hers.  
  
a/n: Wow! She's alive! I feel like Dr. Frankenstein. I bring her back to life so many times. She's only actually died once...kind of. Okay... on with the review responses.  
  
Rayame325: You're welcome for the help. Anytime. I didn't want to do this, but you made me. Squeeky squeeken squeek squeaky. And you meant eloquent, not ellegant. You even spelled elegant wrong. Okay, um... you've been talking to Anna too long. lolz.  
  
Lainfaer: She's not dead, don't cry. I didn't want anyone to cry... please. Have a cookie. I'll try to update sooner.  
  
Anastasia Who: Yes, the last chapter was sad... I think. I can't remember. That's sad. I should know my own story. Was it about the letters? Let me check... yes, it was. Okay. I got it right. I don't feel as bad now. Thanks for reviewing. And she's not dead! Yea!  
  
Emiliana Keladry: No, we aren't fighting. She was just confusing me and making me go crazy. Not angry mad, crazy mad. It was more Anna, but she's not on here. Thanks!  
  
I must be good at convincing people. She's not dead... yet. When/if I do finally kill her off, I'll be depressed. She's my favorite character that I've done so far. I wish that I was her. (Especially since Leggy likes her. Lol!) Oh well. I'll try to update sooner. I need to figure out where to end the chapter. I think I know... okay. I'm just going on now. Bye!  
  
-Elerrina- 


	12. The Story

Chapter 12: The Story  
  
As the song ended Legolas leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers.  
  
At first Lalaith seemed to melt into him but all of a sudden she stiffened.  
  
[I am so sorry, melonin. I have betrayed you.]  
  
Lalaith freed herself from his warm embrace and raced out of the room, grasping her necklace.  
  
Legolas ran after her, wondering what he had done wrong, but Galadriel stopped him before he made it out the door.  
  
"Let me speak with her," Galadriel ordered shortly before she rushed after her daughter.  
  
Legolas sat down dejectedly and took a sip of wine. He noticed a little girl staring at him. He stood up and walked over to her.  
  
"Would you like to dance?" asked Legolas, holding out his hand.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Lalaith sprinted silently down the corridors to her room; the only noise was when she closed the door.  
  
She threw herself on her bed and let the tears fall.  
  
"Lalaith, are you alright?" Galadriel questioned, lightly tapping on her door.  
  
"No, Mother, I am not."  
  
The Lady of Light slowly pushed the door open.  
  
"What is bothering you? Everything seemed to be going well then all of a sudden, you ran out."  
  
"I would rather not talk about it."  
  
"You need to talk about it. No one can help you if you do not say what is wrong."  
  
"Have you ever considered that maybe I do not want nor need help with this? Please, Mother, just leave me alone. I need to think."  
  
Galadriel sighed, stood, and walked gracefully out of her daughter's room.  
  
Lalaith sat up and started to think but soon realized that she couldn't think in the confines of her stone room, in the stale air.  
  
She decided to have the palace and go out to one of the gardens, but she wanted to be inconspicuous so she quickly threw on a dress and let her hair down out of her normal braids so that it would cover her pointed ears.  
  
*~*~*  
  
When Legolas finished dancing with the little girl he excused himself and left to the gardens.  
  
When he arrived in the gardens he saw a maiden walking along the garden path in the moonlight. From her silent stride he knew she was an elf. Her beautiful silver green dress blew behind her in the slight breeze.  
  
"Why is a beautiful elf such as you doing out here in the gardens rather than in the banquet hall dancing?"  
  
The maiden never turned and faced him but from the change in her stride he knew who she was.  
  
[She looks amazing in the colors of Mirkwood.]  
  
"Lalaith, why won't you speak to me? Have I done something wrong?"  
  
"You would not understand," Lalaith answered him quietly.  
  
"How could I understand if you will not even speak to me?"  
  
[I cannot say his name. He will know. He saved me from the spiders in Mirkwood.]  
  
"I met him while I was on one of my earlier journeys. We traveled together for a while. He gave me this necklace as a promise that we would be married when we were done with our quest.  
  
"One day, with only a few miles left to our travels, orcs attacked us in the woods. We both knew that it would be impossible for us to survive the attack. He sacrificed himself, saving me in the process," she explained to him.  
  
She had started to cry while she was telling him the story and was unable to stop. The years of hurt that she had kept locked up inside her released and she collapsed to the ground.  
  
Legolas approached her slowly, like a man would approach a deer, kneeled beside her and wrapped his arms around her shaking shoulders.  
  
*~*~*  
  
When Lalaith woke up she was lying in bed. She looked over and saw Legolas sleeping in a chair next to her bed.  
  
"How did I get here?" she wondered aloud.  
  
"You fell asleep out in the gardens, I didn't want to wake you up so I carried you back here. Arwen saw me bring you in so she took off your outer dress. I hope you do not mind."  
  
"No, I do not mind."  
  
The two elves sat in silence for a while, both trying to come up with something to say.  
  
They thought of something at the same time and said it. Not understanding what the other had said they asked: "What did you say?"  
  
"You first," Legolas said.  
  
"I am sorry that I burdened you with my story last night."  
  
"No, you did—"  
  
"I will leave you now, If you will just excuse me for a moment I will get dressed and go."  
  
Legolas walked to the door and still facing away from her asked, "Where are you going to go?"  
  
"I will most likely wander more," she answered quickly changing into a tunic and leggings.  
  
Legolas spun around, not knowing or caring whether she had finished dressing, and grabbed her shoulders.  
  
"Let me go," Lalaith ordered.  
  
"I told you last night that I loved you and would always know where you are. I am not going to give up on that."  
  
"I do not think that you understand, Legolas—"  
  
"I believe that it is you who does not understand, Lalaith. Think of your love. Would he want you to wander sadly or would he wish for you to live a happy life with someone who loves you?"  
  
"I do not know, Legolas," she whispered, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.  
  
"Think of what you wrote to me. You knew that I loved you and you loved me. You told me to find someone else to love."  
  
"But how do I know that that is what he would want for me?"  
  
"You do not. But if he truly loved you, I am sure that he would want you to be happy, and you are not happy right now."  
  
"I need to think," she said, brushing past him out the door. "I will come back and let you know of my decision."  
  
"Lalaith, where are you going?"  
  
[At least now I understand her a little bit better,] he thought with a downcast heart.  
  
He looked around the stone room and understood why Lalaith had been eager to leave. She was used to sleeping in the open air under trees. Aragorn had been kind to Lalaith and told the servants to prepare a room for her. The room that they chose had only one window, tightly shut, with a view of only more rock and burnt wood.  
  
[It is better than a view of the battlefield,] Legolas thought.  
  
The air was stale and no vegetation could be found. The cloth on the bed was completely white, but a dirty white that made them look gray. There was nothing in that room to calm Lalaith.  
  
Legolas turned and walked out of Lalaith's barren room.  
  
*~*~*  
  
The slowest decade of his life passed with no sign of Lalaith.  
  
[This must be how it felt for her without "him" whoever "he" is.]  
  
It had been exactly ten years since he had last seen his love and today he gave up hope completely for ever looking at her fair face again.  
  
After a year he had gone back to Mirkwood with Gimli, hoping that maybe Lalaith believed that he was there.  
  
Every year he traveled back to Gondor to talk to Aragorn to see if she had returned, but each time his friend regretfully told him that she hadn't been there.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Someone softly tapped on the elf-prince's door.  
  
"Come in," he called.  
  
"Your father wishes to speak with you," the elf informed the sulking prince. "He is in his office."  
  
"I will leave right away. Thank you," Legolas dismissed.  
  
The messenger left, followed soon after by Legolas. He wound his way through the cool stone corridors until he came to his father's study.  
  
"You wished to see me, Father?" Legolas asked, slowly pushing the door open.  
  
"Yes, Son, I have summoned you here to speak with you of a matter of great importance."  
  
"If you are speaking of my marriage, you might as well save your breath."  
  
"In a way, I was, but I was speaking more of Lalaith."  
  
"Father—"  
  
"Let me finish. For the past ten years I have seen the light of joy that once burned so brightly in your eyes vanish. I have watched you resign yourself to your bedroom when in the centuries past you had taken many journeys a year. Now the only time that you travel out of Mirkwood is to visit Gondor. You never attend any banquets, although it is your duty as prince. You refuse to look at any maidens unless they are servants. You are fading, my son, whether you wish to believe it or not. It may be hard for you to accept, but Lalaith is not coming back. I think that it is time that you make one last journey."  
  
"But she—"  
  
"If you stay here, you will die, before the eyes of everyone in Mirkwood. I am not the only one to have noticed, Legolas. Your brothers and sisters miss you, your little sister most of all. If you pass to the Grey Havens you will be released from all pain."  
  
"Maybe you are right. Yes, I will journey to the Undying Lands and wait for you there. I shall leave today."  
  
a/n: Well, I finally updated. It has been a long time since I've written on this story but I think there are only 2 chapters left. I'm kind of putting it off because I don't want to finish it. This is definitely my favorite story that I have written so far.  
  
Rayame: Yes, fluff. I think you know what will happen. Why do you always ask? No fluff in this chapter, but in the last chapter there will be. I don't think that there will be any in the next one either. Sorry.  
  
Namarie an Lalaith: Thank you for the site!  
  
Lainfaer: If they do get married you'll cry? You're sure that's what you meant? I am still debating whether or not to kill her...  
  
Thank you so much for the pics! I love them! I visited the sites you gave me! They're great. I was a bit surprised by some of them... but oh well! Thank you again!  
  
Thank you so much for supporting me!  
  
Emiliana Keladry: You're welcome. And thank you also! I'm getting there on FC. (Not Four's Company. You know what I mean.)  
  
Anastasia Who: Nope, I didn't kill her... yet... like I told Lainfaer, I'm not sure if I'm going to kill her yet. As for what I have in mind for Lalaith in future chapters... more torturing, I'm sure. I love torturing her!  
  
Thank you all for reviewing!  
  
~~Elerrina~~ 


	13. Yrch!

Chapter 13: Yrch!  
  
Three days had passed since Legolas had left when the guards took up the call of a visitor. They opened the gates and let the elf ride in.  
  
The visitor entered the caves of Mirkwood and made their way to the King's study.  
  
"My lord," the elf said, "I must speak with your son, Legolas. Where is he?"  
  
"Why do you wish to know?" Thranduil asked suspiciously, not trusting this visitor who had yet to remove his hood.  
  
"I wish to speak with him on a matter that we discussed ten years ago, my lord."  
  
"Lower your hood," the King commanded. "I trust no one who hides their face."  
  
The elf slowly reached up and pushed their hood back, revealing their gentle yet sharp face.  
  
"Lalaith?"  
  
After ten years, she had finally returned, only days after Legolas had left.  
  
"Yes, my lord. What of Legolas?"  
  
"I am afraid that he has left. He is going to the Grey Havens," Thranduil informed her.  
  
"When?" she asked urgently. "When did he leave?"  
  
"Only three days ago."  
  
"Thank you, my lord. I may be back, I may not. I hope to catch your son before he leaves these shores."  
  
Lalaith retraced her steps back outside to find that someone had taken care of Elen, her mare.  
  
She found her way to the stables, unpenned her horse and mounted, riding out quickly, hoping that Elen could last the hard, fast journey.  
  
She rode as hard as she could in the thick forest, thanking the Valar that she had found a fast, coordinated horse.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Legolas guided his horse around rocks and trees. He wasn't in a hurry to leave Middle-earth so he was taking his time, mulling things over.  
  
He had journeyed close to halfway so he stopped to make camp. He started a small fire to keep animals away, and then he lay down next to it and stared up at the stars.  
  
[Why must you torture me like this? Are the stars fated against Lalaith and me?]  
  
{My son, I am sorry that we have not made life simple for you, but you never were one to want something without a challenge involved,} A beautiful, yet terrible voice sounded in his head that made him want to cover his ears and yet beg the lady to speak again. (Like the Great Mother Goddess, if you read Tamora Pierce books.)  
  
{We have been so occupied with sorting out the mess after the Halfling destroyed the Ring that we have not yet had time to reward those who aided us in a great battle.} This time it was a mans voice, strong yet gentle, real, yet unearthly.  
  
Just as suddenly as the voices had come into his mind, they left without a trace. There were no parting words or hints at what they were speaking of.  
  
[I have never before dreamt, but I suppose that that is what I have done. Why would Elbereth and Manwe speak to me?] he wondered before he fell asleep.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Another day had come and gone, Legolas was now 2/3 done with his journey and Lalaith was five days from the Grey Havens.  
  
She was galloping along beside a forest, hoping to cut time off of her journey. She wasn't sure that she could catch him before he was gone, but she had made up her mind that if he was gone, she would follow.  
  
A horse and rider rode out of the forest, right in Lalaith's path. She quickly nudged Elen to the left, avoiding a collision.  
  
She halted her horse and rode back to meet the lone rider.  
  
"Aragorn?"  
  
"Lalaith, what are you doing?"  
  
"I am going to get Legolas. And you?"  
  
"I was going to see the hobbits. You are riding the wrong way, Mirkwood is back there."  
  
"Do you think that I am dense? I know the location of Mirkwood, but Legolas is going to the Grey Havens, Aragorn!"  
  
"Well, come on then! I will join you on your quest. We must stop him!"  
  
The two friends galloped off, Lalaith telling Aragorn everything since Legolas had not told him anything concerning him and Lalaith.  
  
As the two of them rode further along the edge of the forest they saw a dwarf walk out through the trees.  
  
"Is that Gimli?" Lalaith questioned.  
  
Aragorn strained his eyes. "I think it is. He is wearing an elven cloak," Aragorn observed.  
  
They kept up their pace. Lalaith steered off course once she got close to the dwarf. She reached down, plucked him off of the ground and set him down behind her on her horse.  
  
"Lalaith?" Gimli asked.  
  
"Yes, it is I. And that is Aragorn," Lalaith informed the surprised dwarf.  
  
"What are you doing? Shouldn't you be going to visit Legolas?"  
  
"That is what I am trying to do."  
  
"That does not make sense," Gimli complained.  
  
"He is going to the Grey Havens. We are trying to catch up with him to stop him so that I can speak with him."  
  
"When we get Legolas it will be the four hunters once again," Aragorn pointed out.  
  
"Aragorn, would you know a way to get to the Grey Havens quicker?"  
  
"The more I think about it the more I think that there may be, but I doubt that it is very safe. It probably has not been used in many years and has most likely been taken over by orcs."  
  
"If it will be faster, we should take it," Gimli decided.  
  
"I agree," concurred Lalaith.  
  
*~*~*  
  
After about three hours of riding through the dark, humid forest they came to a clearing and decided to stop. The horses were tired of running so hard for so long.  
  
The three of them found a stream nearby. They drank then let their horses taste the cool water.  
  
They rested only fifteen minutes then got on their way again.  
  
After just five minutes had passed Lalaith suddenly halted Elen.  
  
"What is it Lalaith?" Gimli asked.  
  
She didn't answer, but jumped off her horse and kneeled, putting her ear to the ground.  
  
Aragorn quickly realized what she was doing and followed suit.  
  
Gimli, still not understand, dismounted clumsily, and did the same, feeling strange.  
  
Lalaith looked up and nodded to Aragorn. "Yrch."  
  
a/n: Well, it's not a very long chapter, but I updated really quickly. It's only been two days. I hope you enjoyed it. I also ended with a bit of a cliffhanger. I think that there will be 2 or 3 chapters after this. I am getting closer to the end. Unfortunately. I may draw this out for as long as I can. (And not just to torture you.)  
  
I hope that you understood the last chapter about her love. If you didn't I could try to explain it. It's not something that I really thought out. My friend and I jotted it down when we were on a band trip and since then I kind of forgot about it.  
  
Okay, I'm going to take a poll. I might listen to it and I might not. I want to know if you think that I should have Lalaith get to the Gray Havens and stop Legolas before he leaves or if Legolas should leave and Lalaith follow and they reunite there, or Lalaith should die and Legolas finds out and fades, or if the three of them should get attack and be losing and Legolas hear and come riding to the rescue. I have a favorite right now but I would like to hear what you think.  
  
Anastasia Who: Well, she's trying to stop him. But they just might get waylaid... I don't know... I didn't kill her either. Did I update soon enough?  
  
Lainfaer: Well, I don't want you to cry so I can't have them get married now can I? I hope I updated fast enough. It's only been 2 days so I think so. Thanks for reviewing. Thank you for the pics! I loved them! It was fun chatting with you!  
  
Firekeeper: It's your favorite? Wow! I feel special. Thanks for reviewing! 4 times in 1 day was it? 


	14. Attack

Chapter 14: Attack  
  
"I was afraid of this. Ride!" he commanded in elvish. "Maybe we can escape them. We do not have time to fight."  
  
Gimli was left in the dark. He was going to have Legolas teach him elvish, but never had.  
  
Lalaith grabbed him and threw him up on Elen then mounted in front of him, and urging her quickly along the path with Elessar right behind them.  
  
Unfortunately they were not the mindless orcs; they were Saruman's Uruk- hai.  
  
All of a sudden the forest exploded with noise. The Uruks leapt out from between the trees, yelling and growling.  
  
Gimli shouted in shock and grasped his axe while Lalaith and Aragorn watched them, halfway calmly. Aragorn had only his sword Anduril. He dismounted and drew his sword. Lalaith carefully drew her twin daggers out of their sheaths, trying not to hit Gimli, who decided to then "purposefully" fall off of Elen.  
  
Everything was pure chaos. No one was ready for the battle.  
  
The Uruk-hai were swinging aimlessly, sometimes even killing their own kind.  
  
Gimli was chopping at everything that came in range and counting aloud.  
  
Aragorn was carefully swinging Anduril, decapitating many Uruks. (It would have probably been just as effective if he would hold his sword at arms length and swing it in a circle.)  
  
When the battle finally ended they assessed their wounds quickly. Gimli and Aragorn were both slightly bruised, but that was all. Lalaith, on the other hand, had a long gash on the side of her arm from where one of the Uruks had cut her.  
  
"Let me bandage that quickly," Aragorn instructed.  
  
"No. We need to get to the Gray Havens as quickly as possible. We do not know how long it will take for Legolas to arrive there," Lalaith objected.  
  
"But, you're losing quite a bit of blood. Please, let me at least wrap it."  
  
"It is not that bad, now let's go," she commanded, throwing Gimli back on Elen and mounting behind him. Aragorn also got ip(up) on his horse.  
  
"We made it," Gimli sighed as he spotted the Grey Havens through the trees.  
  
Lalaith clumsily dismounted and ran to the gates.  
  
When Cirdan the Shipwright came to greet her she hurriedly asked, "Has Legolas been here? Has he left?"  
  
"No one has been here in the past two weeks, my lady," Cirdan answered, not knowing who Legolas was.  
  
"Thank the Valar," she said, right before she lost consciousness.  
  
Aragorn jumped off of his horse and dashed over to Lalaith.  
  
"You idiot woman, you won't do Legolas any favors if you die. At least now he has hope that you are alive. Open the gates," Aragorn commanded.  
  
Cirdan quickly obeyed and admitted the man, elf, and dwarf. He led them to a sheltered room.  
  
Aragorn tore off Lalaith's sleeve and ripped it into strands, wrapped it around the cut, then stood back hoping that the bleeding would stop.  
  
After two hours of waiting next to her, the three men left to talk in a separate room.  
  
"Why did you not bandage that as soon as she received it?" Cirdan asked.  
  
"She would not let us. She said that it would take too much time."  
  
"You do not know Lalaith. She always finds a way to get or do what she wants. No matter what you say or do."  
  
"She is not like most elves," Gimli pointed out. "Or at least, not like most maids," he corrected, thinking of Legolas.  
  
"Yes, Legolas and Lalaith had much in common," Aragorn agreed.  
  
"Just as he said that Cirdan heard hoof beats outside and went to greet the new arrival, followed closely by Aragorn and Gimli.  
  
"Legolas!" Aragorn exclaimed. (Speak of the devil.)  
  
Legolas didn't speak. He had spotted the trail of blood. He jumped off his mount. He followed the bloodstains.  
  
When Legolas arrived in the room where Lalaith was lying unconscious on the floor he rushed to her side and took her hand in his.  
  
"Lalaith, do not—do not die on me now. Not after everything else. I cannot believe that you would let one tiny cut on your arm kill you."  
  
"It is not a small cut, it is quite long actually," Aragorn informed his friend.  
  
"Then why did you not wrap it when she got it?" Legolas asked angrily.  
  
"Legolas! Do not blame me for what she brought on herself!"  
  
"You could have stopped her! She was wounded!"  
  
"You could have stayed in Mirkwood for three more days! Then we wouldn't have gotten hurt!"  
  
"Well if you were a better swordsman you could have protected her!"  
  
"Well if you hadn't let her leave in the first place..."  
  
"Well if—"  
  
"She's... dead," Cirdan quietly interrupted.  
  
a/n: Waaah! I finally killed her.  
  
Crecy: Thank you for the suggestion! I liked it; it just got here a little late. I had this written the night before you reviewed. Thanks again!  
  
Firekeeper727: I don't mind that you started late. I mean, at least you did start. I'm actually updating really fast. It used to take me about a month because I have a lot of things going on right now. I won't update tomorrow, probably not until Wednesday, then if I haven't updated by then it might take until next Sunday.  
  
Naurien: Thanks! I will try to read your stories soon but right now I'm only getting on ff.net to read my friends stories and update mine. I don't have a lot of time. But I will get to it sometime if I remember. Thanks for reading!  
  
Rayame: I don't mind the wait. I know, I keep making them run into problems. This will be a big problem... probably one they aren't going to get over...  
  
Lainfaer: I kind of took your suggestion. I just bent it to my own will. They did get attacked and someone got hurt, but Legolas didn't come galloping to the rescue and she didn't get better... Talk to you later!  
  
Emiliana Keladry: I updated soon!  
  
IMPORTANT: This is not the end! I will have at least one chapter after this! I will not forgive you if you stop reading now!  
  
As I told Firekeeper, the next time I can update will probably be Wednesday and I might not have time to post them, because I might not have it written... then after that my next opportunity will be around Sunday.  
  
I hope you all have a nice Mother's Day. (Be nice to them, they gave birth to you and put a roof over your head, and food on the table... etc.)  
  
Elerrina 


	15. The End

**_Chapter 15: The End_**  
  
"What?!"  
  
"She has no pulse."  
  
Both Legolas and Aragorn grabbed on of her wrists, searching for her pulse hoping, praying that Cirdan was mistaken.  
  
"I cannot believe that you would do that!" Legolas shouted, turning on Cirdan.  
  
"I am sorry, but the lady needs her rest and that was the quickest way to quiet you. It is either of your faults that she acquired this wound, but it will heal faster if she sleeps well."  
  
"After all of her near-death experiences I would not be at all surprised if she was dead. She has faced death at least three times, this will have been her fourth while with us," Aragorn explained.

* * *

Throughout the next four days Lalaith drifted in and out of consciousness.  
  
On the fifth day she finally returned to her normal routine of being awake during the day and asleep during the night.  
  
"Legolas," Cirdan called. "Lalaith is finally well enough to speak with you. Please do not rile her up."  
  
"I will try not to," Legolas agreed.  
  
The elf walked into Lalaith's room quietly, pondering what to say.  
  
"Hello," Lalaith greeted.  
  
"Hello. Are you feeling well?"  
  
"Well enough I suppose. And you?"  
  
"Perfect, now that I am finally with you again."

* * *

a/n: Well, this is finally the end. I can't believe that I have finished around... 4 stories in less that a year I believe. All of them 40 pages or more when before I had never finished a story that didn't have a due date for school.  
  
I have been trying to update faster lately, but I will not be updating Help Me Get Back as often because I don't have any more written on it than what I have posted. This summer I might get back into writing on that one, but right now the writer's block I have on that story is definitely not going away anytime soon. If you have any suggestions on that one, please tell me. **_I NEED HELP!_**  
  
Also, if you have any suggestions for new stories that I could write... you could send those to me also.  
  
Ummm... wow, I don't know what else to say... thank you all for reading and reviewing! I enjoy having your feedback.

* * *

Rayame: Yes, you can't say much. I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for sticking with it!  
  
Emiliana: I told you I'm like Dr. Frankenstein. I like to bring people back to life. She wasn't dead in the first place. You would hate me? How could you? Anyway... thanks for reading and reviewing every chapter... at least I think that you did.  
  
Lainfaer: 108? Wow, I am evil. I just love torturing my poor readers. I didn't do anything to poor Leggykins! Anyway... I highly doubt that Orlando Bloom would enjoy being called Leggykins. It only took me...5 days to update? Was that it? We had a home tennis game today so it got over with faster. Only 5 more games left this year! It's amazing; I'm a freshman and am playing #3 varsity tennis! And #2 doubles! I just thought that I would let you know. That is why I'm not on much anymore. I'll try to review your stories, the sequel and the new story, I think I reviewed your other one you evil girl! This is a long reply for a long review! Anyway, you don't have to worry about them getting married and having billions of kids. I'm stopping here unless you all want me to write a sequel... Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! It means a lot to me to have someone stick with it for so long!  
  
Anastasia Who: Athelas? It can't make all things better, but it does make most things, anyway, I wasn't going to have her be that weak. She has to put up some sort of fight! So, I didn't kill her... I hope you liked it! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Naurien: Thanks. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reviewing!  
  
I want to thank you all for reviewing so religiously!

* * *

_Also, I don't know if I will, but if I get enough requests, I might, just might, write a sequel. It probably wouldn't be as long, or as good, but I could. So if you want me to do that, put it in your review or e-mail me. You can find my e-mail on my page. Thanks!  
_  
I'm sad now... I won't have this to write on anymore if I get bored during class. It's weird, the teachers think that I'm taking really good notes. LOL! It's in my main notebook so it looks like I am.  
  
I finished this today: May 13, 2004 during 5th period band class. (our teacher was gone.) 


End file.
